


spent last night dragging the lake for the corpses of my past mistakes

by Krewlak



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Betty Cooper/Archie Andrews (Background), Cheryl Blossom/Toni Topaz (Background) - Freeform, F/M, Minor Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones, Minor Veronica Lodge/Sweet Pea (Riverdale)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-10
Updated: 2018-12-07
Packaged: 2019-08-21 19:42:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 49,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16582844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krewlak/pseuds/Krewlak
Summary: They know it won't fix anything. In fact, there is a very real possibility of making everything worse. That doesn't stop them though.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bearfacedcheek](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bearfacedcheek/gifts).
  * Inspired by [No peace nor rest](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14574624) by [Bearfacedcheek](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bearfacedcheek/pseuds/Bearfacedcheek). 



> Alright. Here is the deal with this fic: it is 100% based off of No Peace, Nor Rest (if you haven't read it go read it immediately!!!!!!!). Bearfacedcheek is an amazing author and I just could not deny the amazing lure of the story that she created. There are a few things that will differ because, at the end of the day, I am a different writer but, essentially, the plot will follow NPNR. There are also a few things from the show itself that I scrapped - mostly the BH story line. Most of the 'town drama' will focus on the Serpents versus the Ghoulies versus the Lodges. I talked about this with the author of NPNR and she is totally okay with me posting this. That being said, I will not tolerate any sort of shitty comments being made on this fic. I just won't. 
> 
> With all of that out of the way, please enjoy this fic. <3

In hindsight, it’s easy enough to figure out how they ended up here. Hindsight is 20/20, afterall, Jughead thinks with a bitter laugh. Veronica shifts next to him, her cold toes digging under his calf and her tiny hand curling around his bicep. He looks at her for a minute. Her black hair is spread out over his pillow and her lips are still puffy and red from his kisses. It's probably the most beautiful she’s ever looked to him. And it’s a goddamn problem. 

She mumbles something in her sleep and presses her face to his shoulder. It's enough to get Jughead panicking. The last thing he wants to deal with right now is an awake Veronica. He wiggles free from her tangled limbs and slowly walks to the bathroom. Every flash of light from the windows makes his head throb just a little more until it feels like it’s going to explode. 

He lets out a slow breath when he turns on the bathroom light, wincing a little at his reflection. Love bites adorn his chest and his hair is a finger tangled disaster. He pushes it back from his forehead and turns the shower on, making sure the water is cold before sticking his head under. He hisses a little at first but the cold water quells the throbbing of his skull. 

It had started a month ago with Archie trying to be noble and Jughead trying to be equally noble in return. 

“I know that things didn’t end . . . well between you and Betty,” Archie had started around a mouthful of burger. Jughead’s hand had paused above the plate of fries. He’d known instantly where this was going. It had been painfully obvious. “And I dunno how you’re feeling about it all since, you know, you never talk about it.”

“I told you there isn’t anything to talk about,” Jughead had muttered before shoving a handful of french fries into his mouth. And there hadn’t been. He’d made his choice and he was fucking miserable for it but that wasn’t Archie or Betty’s problem. He wouldn’t let it be their problem. 

“Well, the thing is,” Archie had continued. “I don’t want to step on your toes or anything. And if it’s too weird for you or Ronnie, then obviously I would back off. Just say the word.”

“Dude,” Jughead had said with the fakest smile he’d ever worn in his life. “Just. Be good to her. She deserves that much.”

It had been stupid. So fucking stupid. But at that moment, all Jughead could think was that Betty deserved to be happy. Happier than he had ever made her - than he was capable of making her. He’d told himself that he was doing the right thing. The whole point of breaking up with Betty was to keep her out of his darkness, to not drag her down into the muck with him and the Serpents. Who better to keep her in the light than eternal good-boy Archie Andrews?

At first, it wasn’t so bad. The University of Massachusetts’s Riverdale campus isn’t huge but avoiding people isn’t impossible on it. As long as he didn’t have to  _ see _ his best friend and the only girl he’d ever loved together, he could deal with it. He could keep living on his moral high ground and carry on as if there wasn’t a Betty shaped hole inside of his heart. 

Veronica hadn’t had it so lucky. Or at least, that’s what she’d told him when she’d sat down on the barstool next to him at the White Wyrm the night before. 

“What are you doing here Veronica?” he’d asked, not looking up from his laptop. She’d sighed dramatically and rested her head on her shoulder. A move that was decidedly un-Veronica like in every way. They didn’t touch. It was an unspoken thing. Though looking back, he had been sure that it had more to do with their respective partners than it did anything else. 

“You’re lucky you spend most of your time on the Southside,” she’d said with another dramatic sigh. “You don’t have to see it every single day.”

“You don’t have to hang out with them, you know,” Jughead had replied softly. He had looked at her out of the corner of his eye. She’d been immaculately put together as always but her usually stoic face was masked in a sadness that Jughead was sure few actually saw. “If it’s too hard. I’m sure they’d understand if you needed time.”

“Easy for you to say. If I suddenly disappeared from the friend group, it would be suspicious. The last thing I need is for either of them to know I’m still harboring . . . something. Especially considering I gave Betty my very gracious permission,” Veronica had muttered. “So fucking stupid.”

“That makes two of us,” Jughead had replied. He’d sighed and closed his laptop. He’d wrapped his arm around Veronica and scooted her barstool a little closer. “But we hurt them first.”

“What right do we have to complain,” she had agreed bitterly. Jughead had signaled over Veronica’s head to Toni. She brought over two glass and a small bottle of cheap whiskey. Veronica had perked up instantly and poured them both a shot. “To Barchie.”

They’d drank in silence until the small bottle was empty and they had both been a little wobbly on their feet. Jughead had helped her to the door, keeping his hand on her hip. She’d leaned into him heavily and he had been engulfed in her perfume.

“I should call a car,” she’d muttered, pressing her face into his chest. He’d wrapped both arms around her and somehow they had ended up hugging tight. He had felt her wet sobs in his t-shirt as he’d tried to soothe her as best he could. After a few minutes, her crying had subsided and she’d pulled away, wiping at her cheeks. “Sorry. That was gross.”

“Do you,” he’d started before shoving his hands into his pockets and looking away. “My trailer is just that way. Dad’s working tonight. If you wanted. I mean.”

“Sure,” she’d said, grabbing his hand. “I am nowhere near sober enough to talk to my parents right now.”

They’d stumbled back to his trailer together, hands still linked together. She’d kicked off her heels and shrugged off her jacket, collapsing on his lumpy couch like she’d been doing it for years. 

“I just want them to feel as shitty as I do,” she’d muttered, covering her eyes with an arm. “Just for, like, five minutes. I want them to feel this pain.”

“We wouldn’t even if we could,” he’d muttered, standing over her. He’d wobbled a little, his knee banging against the side table. That had made Veronica look up at him. She’d propped herself up on her elbows and stared at him. He’d wondered if he knew what kind of picture she had been painting on his shitty couch. Her legs had been spread a little, the skirt of her dress riding up so that the edges had teased at the lace of her stockings. 

He should have known then. Should have gotten her a glass of water and then stumbled to his bedroom. He should have seen the spark in her eye and recognized it for what it was. 

She’d sat up, tucking her legs under her to sit on her knees. She’d clutched the back of the sofa and scooted closer to him. She’d licked her lips and he’d followed the movement like a dog with a treat. She’d touched his chest gently and looked up through her lashes, “Can’t we?”

“Veronica,” he’d said. A half-hearted attempt to stop this. To stop the movement of his hand to cup her cheek. To stop her eyelashes from fluttering and stop the small sigh she’d let out. 

“I just,” she’d said, taking a moment to swallow loudly before looking directly into his eyes. “I just want to forget. For one night. Is that . . . is it too much?”

He’d kissed her. He’d kissed her with every ounce of heartache that he’d felt. Every ounce of rotting love that he’d felt for Betty and mutated anger that he’d felt at himself. At Archie. At Betty, most of all. Beautiful Betty who’d moved on so. Damn. Fast. 

She’d kissed him back. Hard lipped kisses, smearing their mouths together. She’d buried her hands in his hair and tugged. He’d gripped her sides hard enough that he had been sure there would be bruises in the morning. She’d dragged him down to the couch on top of her. He’d knocked the lamp over as he’d clambered onto the couch while trying to pull his jacket off. 

They hadn’t even bothered to take their clothes off. Just unbuckling his belt and jeans, sliding her panties to the side before he’d plunged into her in one smooth move. They’d both frozen then, getting used to the sensation of being joined this way. 

“Juggie,” she’d whined against his lips, twisting her hips a little. 

The nickname that he’d only ever heard come out of Betty’s mouth had gone straight to his hips, jerking forward and burying himself deeper into her. He hadn’t missed the irony of fucking Veronica on the same spot where he’d first made love to Betty. 

The thought had made him set a reckless pace that had her squirming underneath him, begging for him to make her come. He’d watched open-mouthed as she had reached between them. Her manicured fingers had pressed against her clit until she’d let out a rough moan that had seemed to last forever. 

Jughead had brought her fingers to his mouth and sucked them into his mouth, groaning as his own orgasm had shot through him. After they’d both caught their breath, Jughead had slid out of her with a slight moan. Veronica had whimpered slightly, pouting at the loss of contact. Once they’d managed to get themselves off of the couch, they’d stumbled to his bedroom, shedding their clothes as they went before collapsing into a tangled mess in his bed. 

There had been more kissing and whispered confessions that are too hazy for him to remember now. They’d fallen asleep, wrapped around each other and for the first time since breaking up with Betty, Jughead had felt something that resembled peace. 

Once Jughead’s head stops pounding he turns off the water, blindly reaching for his towel. When he turns around, Veronica is standing in the doorway of the bathroom. She’s wearing one of his shirts and is looking down at her toes, seeming way more insecure than she has any right to be. He swallows the lump in his throat and tries to think of something to say. He knows he’s opening and closing his mouth like a dumbass but he can’t seem to stop. 

“Jughead,” she says finally, breaking the silence. She still isn’t looking at him and it kind of breaks something inside of him. “About last night. I just. Thanks for . . . everything.”

“Sure,” he manages to croak. It’s not what he was expecting. Not in the least. 

“I know that it’s not what either of us really planned,” she says and there’s a blush creeping up her neck. He remembers in a flash how far down that blush can go and feels a blush start to bloom across his own face. “But you provided some much needed comfort. You were there for me and I just. I wanted to say thank you.”

“Hey,” he says and his voice is too loud in the small space. They both flinch a little and then laugh at their shared hangover. “Hey. We were there for each other. No thanks needed.” 

She finally looks up at him and her eyes are full of something that he can’t really identify. He’s not sure if she’s sad or happy or just as stupid hungover as he is. The moment passes though before she’s stepping into the bathroom to lean up and place a soft kiss against his jaw. His hand automatically goes to her hip to steady her. She rests her hand on his shoulder, nails digging in as she lowers herself back to her feet. 

“I should go,” she says softly, eyes locked onto his lips. His hand flexes against her hip and it pulls her a little closer. 

“You could stay,” he says, voice thick. “Stay, Veronica.”

“Your dad,” she mutters, nails dragging up his neck to bury into his hair. 

“Won’t be home for a few more hours,” he says. “We have time.”

“Time,” she says but it’s barely a word. Barely anything more than a soft rush of air against his bare chest. He leans down and urges her up with his hand on her hip. He brushes his mouth against hers because he can’t help it. Because he wants to. Because even if it’s not permanent, it's a good balm for the ache Betty has left in his heart. His hair brushes against her forehead and she giggles slightly. “I could spend some time. Forgetting for a little longer.”

“Just a little longer,” he replies before kissing her again. She wraps her arms around his neck and he cups her ass in his hands, lifting her against him. She wraps her legs around his hips and he spins to balance her on the edge of the sink. He tilts her head back, his thumb pressing under her jaw, so that he can scrape his teeth against her skin. 

“God, Jughead,” she moans, fingers pulling on his already tangled hair. He sucks on the spot where her neck meets her shoulder and smirks when she squeals. “Don’t leave marks that can be seen!”

“Sorry,” he mumbles against the moist spot, giving it a gentle kiss that has her humming. Already, his mind is running through all the places that he  _ can _ leave marks. All those spots he doesn’t remember really seeing or exploring. All those spots that are easily hidden under clothes. The underside of her breast. Her hip. The inside of her thigh. 

She tugs his hair until his mouth is at hers again and they’re kissing slow and deep. He grinds himself against her core, feels that she doesn’t have underwear on and nearly chokes on his own tongue. He pulls back to look down where she’s bare and open to him. She bites her lip and raises an eyebrow at him. He takes it as a challenge as he kneels down in front of her. 

He wastes no time in licking up her middle with a flat tongue. Her breath hitches in her throat and it’s enough for him groan into her. He sucks on her clit, circling the small nub with his tongue. She scrapes her nails on his scalp and tugs when the suction kick starts her orgasm. He’s, kind of, amazed at how easy it is to make her come. He wants to do it again. 

Jughead kisses his way back up her body, dragging his shirt up with him, and gives her a smug smile. He cups her breasts in his hands and bites his lip when her eyelashes flutter. She manages to roll her eyes and pushes him away from her so she can hop off the sink. She hooks a finger in his boxers and drags him after her back to the bedroom. 

She gets a car home two hours later.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s. Comfort,” he says softly. He looks down at her quickly, just a jerk of his eyes. “You and me. We’re in the same situation. Who better to commiserate?”
> 
> Veronica looks back down and bites her lip. It’s not the worst logic. And it’s an honest explanation of what they’ve done so far. What Veronica has done so far - running to Jughead when it got to be too much.
> 
> “My wit is dazzling,” she says as she sits up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for the love that the first chapter has gotten. I super appreciate it! I already have the first nine chapters written so expect quick updates for now.

Veronica spends the rest of her Saturday in bed with a box of bonbons and her Buffy boxset. She hasn’t showered, still smelling of sex and his cheap deodorant. She wants to revel in it for a little longer before she washes away all the evidence. 

She is one hundred percent aware that it’s not healthy but she doesn’t care. She’s the broken hearted one. She gets to deal with it how she wants. 

And right now, Veronica wants to pretend that she’ll use this against them. She was wants to pretend that she’s that same ice queen from high school who would gladly cut someone down. Who would march up to Betty Cooper and watch her green eyes fill with tears when she learned that Veronica Lodge had fucked Jughead Jones. 

Veronica groans and presses a pillow to her face. She would never.  _ Jughead _ would never. They’ll just carry this little secret. It’ll be fine though. Veronica’s been faking her smile for weeks now. What’s one more secret added to the mix? 

It had been a comfort last night. Two broken hearts coming together to ease some of the pain. It doesn’t change anything though. Archie and Betty will still be together and Veronica and Jughead will still be the collateral damage. 

At least she won’t have to face Jughead anytime soon. Betty and Archie she can deal with. If it were all three of them at the same time? Veronica isn’t sure her fake smile is strong enough for that emotional rollercoaster. 

By Monday morning, Veronica is her usual, put-together self. She smiles at Betty and Kevin when she meets them in the quad for lunch. Laughs with Archie on their walk to the English building. Tolerates Cheryl’s totalitarian running of the River Vixen practice. Everything resumes it’s normal course. 

She doesn’t see Jughead. Doesn’t seek him out and it’s okay. She’s okay. She doesn’t need to lean on him and she thinks the ache inside of her chest is lessening. 

But then she stumbles onto something that she isn’t prepared for. Intellectually, she knows that as a couple Archie and Betty have been tame around her. There’s the odd hand-holding. The small hello and goodbye kiss. Veronica has been spared having to see anything more graphic than that. And she is more than grateful for that but it was only a matter of time, really. 

It’s a Thursday afternoon when Veronica strolls into the student lounge, coffee in hand. She stops dead in her tracks when she spots Archie and Betty curled up on the couch. She has her legs in his lap and her fingers are tugging on his shirt. He has a hand buried in her hair and one gripping her hip. They’re kissing with a kind of passion Veronica distinctly remembers having with Archie not that long ago. 

Veronica spins on her heel and nearly runs Kevin over in her dash out of the building. She’s pulling her phone out before she even realizes. 

**Veronica says Where are you right now?**

She chews her nail as she waits for Jughead’s response. She’s already walking in the direction of Pop’s. If nothing else, she can drown her sorrows in chocolate milkshakes. 

**Jughead says Heading to campus. Why?**

**Veronica says I need some major grief counseling.**

She knows she’s being dramatic but she can’t stop the twisting in her gut. Everytime she closes her eyes, she sees them together again and she’s reminded of what a colossal fool she is. The only person who can sympathize without pity is Jughead. 

She knows it’s asking a lot. She knows she’s risking a repeat of last weekend. But there won’t be any alcohol this time around. It should be fine. If she keeps telling herself that then maybe it’ll be true. 

**Jughead says I can pick you up.**

**Veronica says Meet at Pop’s?**

**Jughead likes Meet at Pop’s?**

She shoves her phone in her bag and crosses her arms as she hurries towards Pop’s. Jughead’s motorcycle is already in the parking lot. She can only assume that he’s inside getting a table. She can’t actually remember the last time that she was there with him. 

Jughead waves her down when she walks through the door and she heads over to him with a smile. He’s already ordered a burger and two milkshakes. She pauses for a second and considers sliding into the booth next to him. She’s not sure what this thing between them is, though. There are no clearly defined lines and she doesn’t want to risk pushing them. She needs all the friends that she can get right now. 

She slides into the seat across from him. 

“Why the code red?” he asks around a mouthful of burger. She scowls at his total lack of manners and pops the cherry from her shake into her mouth. 

“Saw something I wasn’t ready to deal with,” she says as she reaches for Jughead’s cherry as well. “Was caught off guard, that’s all.” 

“You’re going to need to give me more than that, Lodge,” he says, scooting his milkshake further out of her reach. “I’m missing my class on the ethics of journalism for your moment of crisis.”

“No one said you had to skip class to babysit me,” she snaps. She instantly regrets it and sighs. “But I do appreciate it.”

“As long as I’m appreciated,” he says. “That’s all I care about.” 

“I saw them playing tonsil hockey,” she says not looking up. “Which. Yes. Totally expected from a committed relationship. I just haven’t seen them like that before.” 

“I don’t know why you keep hanging out with them,” Jughead says slowly. “If it’s so hard that you’re running to  _ me _ for comfort? Doesn’t seem worth it.” 

“Unlike you,” she says slowly. “I don’t have a plethora of Southside gang members to entertain myself with. I’m short on friends. I can’t go shutting people out just because I have a tragic case of unrequited feelings.”

“It’s not that tragic,” Jughead says. Veronica sighs and snags a fry from his plate to throw at him. He just picks it up from where it landed on his lap and shoves it in his mouth. “Better to have loved and lost, right?”

“Is that what you tell yourself to get to sleep at night, Jones?” Veronica asks, narrowing her eyes. He makes a face and opens his mouth to show his half-chewed french fries. “You’re disgusting.” 

“I’m a goddamn delight,” he says, raising his eyebrow at her. “Otherwise, why do you keep coming back?”

“Don’t you know, Juggie-dear?” she says with a tight lipped smile. She steals one of his fries. “Misery loves company.” 

He shrugs and finishes eating his burger. She drinks her milkshake and snags the occasional fry. The quiet is nice. The chance to just exist without expectations. It’s the first time since . . . god, she can’t even remember. When she first moved here, maybe? When no one knew who Veronica Lodge was and she could be anyone she wanted. Maybe then. 

“Want to see a movie?” Jughead asks suddenly. Veronica looks up from her shake. His plate is, of course, empty. He’s wiping his hands with a napkin with his eyebrows raised. “See what’s playing at the Bijou?”

She stares at him for a long minute before nodding. She finishes off her shake and slides out of the booth. Jughead does the same, heading to the counter to pay. She walks out first, purse clasped in front of her, and waits by his bike. 

“I’m not riding that thing,” she says when he steps outside. She points at her outfit. “This outfit was not made for riding.” 

He raises his eyebrows and bites his bottom lip. She rolls her eyes and looks away from him. She is not blushing. Veronica Lodge does not blush. She straightens her shoulders and starts walking in the direction of the Bijou. 

Jughead jogs to catch up with her, hands in his jeans pockets. He looks at her out of the side of his eye, corner of his mouth twitching up in a crooked smile. She smiles slightly in response before bumping her shoulder into him. He drapes his arm over her shoulders and she lets him, leans into him a little. 

The walk to the Bijou is short and they buy tickets for the afternoon matinee of  _ The Graduate _ . She wiggles her eyebrows at him as they head to the concessions stand. He scoffs and she can’t help but shimmy her hips a little in response. They get a large soda, two straws, and the largest bucket of popcorn. 

“You do know I might come back for more snacks, right?” Jughead asks as they head to the theatre. “What? I need some sweet for all this salty. It’s about balance.”

“I’m not sweet enough for you?” she asks. He makes a face and she laughs. She pokes his side and complains, “Where does it all go? You’re a bottomless pit and yet you’re all. Fit and shit.” 

He shrugs and shoves a handful of popcorn in his mouth. He doesn’t bother to finish chewing before he answers, “Stamina.” 

Okay. She definitely blushes that time. Because. Yes. She remembers the stamina. Thank god it’s dark in the theatre as they sit down. Veronica kicks off her heels and pulls her feet up into the chair, draping her cape around her. Jughead watches with an amused smirk that she chooses to ignore. 

He drapes his arm around her shoulders again and she sighs into his side. This is bad. She knows it is. But she doesn’t care. Betty and Archie get to play tonsil hockey in public. She’s going to cuddle Jughead in a movie theatre. Fair is fair. 

He whispers witty remarks into her ear throughout the movie. She laughs or fires back with her own sharp remarks. They’re lucky that they’re the only ones there. By the end, they’re sunk down in the seats, heads tilted towards each other. 

“What are we doing, Jug?” she asks as the credits roll. She slides her nails across his stomach, over his shirt. She looks up at him through her lashes. He’s staring ahead at the screen, lids heavy. “Jughead?” 

“It’s. Comfort,” he says softly. He looks down at her quickly, just a jerk of his eyes. “You and me. We’re in the same situation. Who better to commiserate?”

Veronica looks back down and bites her lip. It’s not the worst logic. And it’s an honest explanation of what they’ve done so far. What Veronica has done so far - running to Jughead when it got to be too much. 

“My wit  _ is  _ dazzling,” she says as she sits up. He rolls his eyes and ruffles his hair before putting his hat back on. She hadn’t even noticed that he’d taken it off. “So. Comfort?”

“Sure,” he says with a shrug. She slips her feet back into her shoes. “We all need it sometimes, right? When it gets to be too much or whatever?”

“That is oddly generous of you, Jones,” she says after considering him for a moment. He gives her a confused look, frowning at her. She tries very hard not to roll her eyes. They might get stuck. “You’ve always struck me as one of those suffer in silence and solitude type of guys.”

She’s shocked that it’s possible but his frown deepens and he looks away. He looks troubled for all of two seconds before he locks it down tight. When he looks back at her, his face is neutral. Except for his eyes, the storminess of them. She wonders when he learned that trick. 

She doesn’t think about it before she’s leaning forward and kissing him. She cups his jaw and presses herself forward a little. He jerks back at first, eyes narrowing at her. She licks her lips and whispers against his mouth, “Comfort, right? It doesn’t. It doesn’t have to be just about them.”

He leans in and kisses her back. She buries her fingers his hair and sighs into his mouth. He dances his fingers up her thigh, sliding under her skirt easily enough. She moans slightly at the feeling of calluses on her bare skin. Hisses when he clutches her thigh and runs his tongue along her bottom lip, asking for entrance. 

“Veronica,” he whispers against her mouth. It sounds like a promise. She doesn’t know of what but she’ll keep him to it. He drags hot mouthed kisses down her neck and bites where it meets her shoulder. She shivers when he whispers, “You know this won’t fix anything.” 

“Who said I was trying to fix anything?” she says, leaning her head back. She closes her eyes and tries to push away the wash of sorrow that she suddenly feels. 

He cups her face in his hands and tilts her head so he can make eye contact. He doesn’t look so stormy - so torn up on the inside. His mouth is puffy and smeared with her lipstick. She reaches up and rubs it away with her thumb. He snags it between his teeth, running his tongue over her nail before letting go. The feeling goes straight between her legs. 

This will end messy. She knows it will but it feels like her life has been nothing but messy since moving to Riverdale. For once, she wants to choose it instead of being thrust into it. She wants to dive in head first into something that’s just for her. It’ll end messy but she doesn’t care.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Just like old times, man,” Archie says with a laugh which sets Betty off. Veronica rolls her eyes before giggling as well. It’s a weird moment. Still tense but so silly at the same time. Because this is them. Eating burgers and drinking shakes and arguing and laughing. Jughead chuckles along with them because he can’t help it.
> 
> Except it’s there at the back of his mind. It’s not like old times. Not when Betty is sitting across from him instead of leaning into his side. Not when his heart feels like it’s cracking in two the more he laughs with his friends.
> 
> He feels like he’s about to dive into the deep end when he feels Veronica’s boot at the back of his leg again. He relaxes into the booth and drops his hand down onto her thigh under the table. She tangles their fingers together, pulling her foot away from his leg.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't kidding when I said that I would be posting quick updates for a short period of time. :)

Knocking on the trailer door jars Jughead out of sleep. He blinks at the bright light coming in through the windows. What fucking time was it? Jughead groans as he clambers off the couch and stumbles to open the door. 

“Hi,” Betty greets him with a wide smile, hand raised to knock again. Jughead blinks at her. She can’t seriously be here right now. “Can we talk?” 

“Um. Yeah,” he croaks, rubbing his eyes. He gestures for her to come in and stumbles after her. The heat is on the fritz again so she keeps her coat on. “What’s up, Betts?” 

He cringes inside at the old nickname. But she just smiles softly and sits down on the edge of the pull out bed. Jughead stays standing. He doesn’t think he can sit next to her and not touch her. Not yet and definitely not on the couch where they first made love - where he first fucked Veronica. He shakes the thought from his head.

“It’s about the paper,” she says slowly. He nods. “It’s just. Veronica and I talked about it. And her gossip column is great - it’s a huge hit - but we really think that we’re missing your voice. I know you had to take some time off with your dad and the trial and everything but. Maybe. Maybe it’s time for you to come back?” 

His stomach bottoms out and he thinks he’s going to puke for a second. He runs a hand down his face and tries to think. 

“I don’t think I have the time, Betty,” Jughead says, shaking his head. “Between my novel, school, and the Serpents. I just.”

“The Serpents?” she asks, voice growing small in a way that he hates. She curls her hands into fists in her lap and it makes his heart clench. “They’re that much of a priority?” 

“Yes,” he says, shortly. “Of course.” 

“Right.” 

She still won’t look at him and he feels guilty. He feels guilty for choosing the Serpents over the green eyed girl in front of him. For breaking her heart. For pushing her away. For running into the arms of her best friend. (A bitter, mean part of him whispers that she did it first.)

“But. We’re still friends, right?” Betty asks softly. “You can. You can come by. When you have time. Just to hang out, right?” 

He swallows his guilt down and nods, “Of course, Betty.” 

“Because I’ve missed you, Jughead,” Betty says. And god. He wishes that she means it the way he wants. That she misses  _ them _ . Not just him. “Archie too. Pop’s just isn’t the same without your bottomless stomach and sardonic wit.” 

He chuckles and suddenly misses the easy afternoons that he used to share with the girl he’s always loved and his best friend. But it’s so different now. The thought of having to share that space again in such a different context making him feel queasy. 

“I am a rare delight,” he says. He doesn’t say he misses her. Not out loud. He can’t. Not without telling her everything. About Penny. His father. Veronica. All of it. “I can try to be less of a hermit.” 

“Thanks, Juggie,” she says with that bright, earnest smile that still makes his heart skip a beat. 

She stands up and steps towards him. She licks her lips and reaches a hand out to him. He reaches out as well, wrapping his finger around her elbow. Even through the layers of her jacket he can feel how warm she is. 

“Listen, Jug,” Betty starts. He leans towards her and wishes that the way her eyes flick to his mouth isn’t a lie. She opens her mouth slightly to say something else when her phone goes off. She blushes as she looks at the caller ID and her smile gets a dreamy quality to it. She steps away from him and bites her lip a little as she says, “Hey Archie. Yeah I’m talking to him now. I’ll ask.” She turns to him again with a shy smile, the one that always made him want to kiss her. “Do you want to get a burger? Archie and Veronica are heading there now.” 

“Let me change clothes,” he says without thinking and leaving the room without another word. He takes a moment to collect himself. It’s just a burger and he’ll be fine. It’ll be like it was before. Slightly dying on the inside while Betty Cooper swoons over Archie Andrews. Status quo. 

When Jughead comes out of the backroom, Betty is standing by the door. Her face brightens when he walks out just like it always did during those few months when they dated. He tries to pretend that it doesn’t mean anything. Even if it did. It’s better this way. It’s better that they’re apart. For Betty. 

If he keeps repeating it to himself maybe he’ll properly believe it. 

She follows him out of the trailer quietly. For the first time in a while he’s not sure what she’s thinking. She climbs onto the back of his bike, accepting his helmet with a small smile. She wraps her arms around his waist and it’s the sweetest kind of torture. 

The ride to Pop’s seems to take only a second but lasts an eternity. As he parks his bike, he thinks he truly gets what Veronica has been going through. 

Veronica and Archie already have a booth when he walks through the door with Betty. Betty slides into the seat next to Archie and Jughead slides in next to Veronica. For a split second it feels like the old days. And then Archie and Betty tangle fingers together and it feels like a dagger in the gut. Veronica shoots him a worried look out of the corner of her eye. He nudges her with his knee and she nudges back. They both smirk a little but Betty and Archie don’t seem to notice. 

“So, Jughead, you’ve graced us with your presence at long last,” Veronica announces. “How have your studies been?”

“Yeah, Jug,” Archie says, turning to Jughead with an easy smile. “How have you been? How’s the Southside?”

“Seedy and slowly being swallowed by the SoDale project,” Jughead mutters with a shrug. “How’s the Northside?”

“You act like they aren’t part of the same town,” Veronica replies with a sigh. She slides her plate of half-eaten fries towards Jughead without him having to ask. Betty frowns at the action before shaking her head. “The whole point of the SoDale project is to bring Riverdale together.”

“So says the PR machine that is your mother,” Jughead replies. “Sorry if I don’t buy it.”

“Are we really going to spend our first time at Pop’s as the core four in a  _ month  _ arguing about SoDale?” Betty complains with a pout. Archie smirks and leans over to nip at her bottom lip. Jughead’s stomach twists and turns. Jughead feels Veronica hook her ankle around his under the table, the tip of her boot running up at the back of his calf. 

“We most certainly are not,” Veronica says, giving Jughead a very pointed look. He rolls his eyes and nods his agreement. “So. Pickens Day Festival? I will be performing, of course, and I require all to be in attendance.” 

“You do know that Pickens Day is a total scam, right?” Jughead says, raising an eyebrow at him. 

“It’s a town tradition, Jughead,” Veronica says, closing her eyes in irritation. “To celebrate the town’s history.”

“Well, if people actually  _ knew _ the town’s history they wouldn’t celebrate it,” he says. He turns in his seat a little so that he can see her better. He’s pretty positive that he hears Archie groan a little. “You know about the Uktena? You know about the massacre that created Riverdale?”

“Of course, I do, Jughead!” Veronica snaps. “We all read your little blog post.”

“Then explain to me how you can still celebrate it?” Jughead asks. He raises his eyebrows at her and waits. She exhales loudly through her nose. “It’s for your parents, isn’t it?”

She turns away from him and grabs her milkshake. He scoffs and turns to face the other side of the table as well. Betty and Archie are both smirking, fingers still linked on top of the table. Jughead glares at them for a long minute before snapping, “What?”

“Just like old times, man,” Archie says with a laugh which sets Betty off. Veronica rolls her eyes before giggling as well. It’s a weird moment. Still tense but so silly at the same time. Because this is them. Eating burgers and drinking shakes and arguing and laughing. Jughead chuckles along with them because he can’t help it. 

Except it’s there at the back of his mind. It’s not like old times. Not when Betty is sitting across from him instead of leaning into his side. Not when his heart feels like it’s cracking in two the more he laughs with his friends. 

He feels like he’s about to dive into the deep end when he feels Veronica’s boot at the back of his leg again. He relaxes into the booth and drops his hand down onto her thigh under the table. She tangles their fingers together, pulling her foot away from his leg. 

The rest of the afternoon seems to go by easily enough. There are no awkward pauses. Jughead notices right away that Veronica won’t let there be any awkward pauses. She has her charm turned up to eleven. If Jughead hadn’t seen her heartbreak up close and personal, he’d be buying just as much as Betty and Archie. 

After a couple hours, Betty and Archie make their excuses and slide from the booth. Jughead tries not to think about the flush on Betty’s cheeks or the way Archie couldn’t keep his hands to himself. He’s not stupid. As soon as the bell above the door rings, Jugheads sinks into the booth seat and closes his eyes. 

“You okay there, Heathcliff?” Veronica says with a small chuckle. She presses a cool hand to his cheek and he tilts his face into her hand. “You see what I mean, right? They are exhausting.”

“I don’t know how you do this everyday,” he mutters. She rubs her thumb back and forth over his cheek. When he opens her eyes she’s so close to him. “I get it now.”

“Get what?” she asks softly. Her eyes keep glancing at his mouth and he’s tempted to kiss her.

“Why you showed up at the Wyrm that night,” he says. He licks his lips and smirks a little when her eyes track the movement. “Want to get out of here?”

“God, yes,” she says before scooting out of the booth. She raises her eyebrows at him when he doesn’t immediately slide out after her. Veronica rolls her eyes and heads to the counter to pay their tab. He can’t help looking over his shoulder to watch the way her hips sway. When she looks over her shoulder with a small smirk, he knows that its entirely for his benefit. 

He doesn’t waste any time sliding out of the booth to follow her. They’re probably being reckless but, as Jughead guides Veronica out of Pop’s with a hand on her lower back, he can’t find it in him to care. Veronica turns to him once their outside and raises an eyebrow as she drags him around the corner of the building and out of sight. He doesn’t even have time to say anything before she’s wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down into a messy kiss. 

She presses herself against him until he’s backed into the wall. When she pulls away, she has his bottom lip caught between her teeth. He chuckles a little when she lets go and cups the back of her head, trying to pull her into another kiss. She leans up a little and whispers against his mouth, “I’ve been wanting to do that since you got here.”

“Admitting to wanting to kiss me, Lodge?” Jughead says, raising an eyebrow. “Isn’t that a little too soft for you?”

“Shut up,” she says with a small smirk. She kisses him again and he holds her tight until they’re both breathless. She rubs her lipstick off of his mouth with her thumb once she pulls away and gives him an unreadable look. “Come on, Jones. We both need a distraction and my parents are out of town for an undisclosed amount of time.”

“Such a romantic,” Jughead deadpans. Veronica rolls her eyes and finger combs her hair before walking away from him like they weren’t just making out. Jughead adjusts himself in his jeans and follows after her. “You’re going to have to get off your high horse and ride the bike.”

“Why can’t we just walk?” Veronica asks with a small pout. She eyes his motorcycle warily. 

“Because I don’t feel like having to walk back for my bike,” he says as he hands her his helmet. He wiggles it at her until she takes it with a sigh. “Come on. It won’t be so bad.” 

“If we skid out and I die,” she says as she puts the helmet on. “I promise to haunt you.” 

He smiles at her, half-tempted to take a picture of her. She flips him off and he tries to smother his smile as he climbs onto the bike. She climbs on behind him, gently holding onto his sides. Jughead laughs and grabs her hands, pulling them forward so that her arms were wrapped around him. 

“Got to hold on tight, princess,” Jughead says over his shoulder. “Little too late to start acting shy.” 

If she says anything back, Jughead can’t hear her over the roar of the engine.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Do you. Ever think about it?”
> 
> “About what?” she asks. She reaches up and brushes the hair from his forehead, traces his eyebrow with her thumb. There are warning bells going off in her head but she can’t seem to pay attention to them.
> 
> “Us,” he says softly. He leans forward and kisses her softly. She cups the back of his head and doesn’t let him pull too far away from her. She doesn't think she can look him in the eyes right now.
> 
> “Oh, Jughead.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> blooooooooooooooooooooooooooop. another chapter :)

Veronica glares at the love bite on her collarbone. She’s asked Jughead multiple times to not leave visible marks. She’s not sure if he just forgets or if he leaves these subtle little signs on purpose. Either way, it’s annoying. She huffs a little and covers the mark with some concealer. As the mark slowly fades away, Veronica promises herself for the hundredth time that she’s going to stop.

It's been weeks. Weeks of secret hook ups and late night movies. Weeks of watching Betty and Archie fall more and more in love. Weeks of watching Jughead moon over Betty in the offices of the Blue and Gold. Weeks of realizing that the ache that Archie had left behind is little more than a dull throb that she’s practically forgotten. She knows that has to do with Jughead. With their arrangement. She’s . . . dependent on him. 

Which is why she needs to stop. Veronica Cecelia Lodge does not do dependence. 

Veronica steels her spine and nods at her reflection. She’s done with Jughead Jones. Absolutely done. She keeps repeating that to herself as she heads to the Blue & Gold staff meeting. Betty is already there, of course. She smiles at Veronica when she walks through the door, “Hey V.”

“B,” Veronica says with a bright smile. She sits down at one of the desks and crosses her legs. “What have you got for me, boss?”

“Well,” Betty says with a small smile. She opens her mouth to say something but stops suddenly. Her face crumbles with worry. “Juggie?” 

Veronica spins in her seat and gasps a little, hand coming up to cover her mouth. Jughead’s face is a mottle of purple, an ugly bruise covering half of his jaw. His has a split lip and looks like he hasn’t slept in days. Veronica is out of her seat in a second but Betty beats her to him. Veronica holds herself back and watches the blonde reach up to cup Jughead’s face. 

“Jesus, Jughead,” Betty says softly. He flinches away from her hands, mouth pressing into a thin line. “What happened to you?”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m fine, just a few bruises,” Jughead says slowly relaxing with each word. He tries to smirk but it just makes his lip bleed. He touches it gingerly and mutters, “You should see the other guy.”

“Don’t joke,” Betty grumbles. She turns around, eyes scanning the classroom. Veronica reaches into her purse and hands her a tissue. Betty takes it with a grateful smile. She grabs Jughead’s chin to hold him still while she gently touches the napkin to his lip. “Tell me what happened. I’m serious. Who did this to you?”

“Ghoulies,” Jughead mutters, voice low. He sounds so tired. Veronica takes a step towards him without thinking. His eyes flick towards her for a second before going back to Betty. “We got rid of Penny.”

Betty’s hands slowly lower from Jughead’s face and she steps back from him, arms wrapping around her waist. She looks away from him for a second, eyes finding Veronica. Veronica feels like she should leave - like she’s intruding but. She looks between Jughead and Betty, sees the way Jughead is holding himself and knows. She can’t walk away from this. She can’t leave Jughead alone with whatever is about to happen.

“Who is Penny?” Veronica asks. 

Betty looks at Jughead before turning back to Veronica. She licks her lips, “She’s a Serpent. She’s . . . blackmailing FP.”

“So, go to the cops!” Veronica says automatically, forgetting who she’s even talking to. “Why is this even a conversation?”

“Right,” Jughead says. He gives her a look of pure contempt. “Because it’s so fucking easy. Like the cops in Riverdale would care about or believe anything we would have to say.”

“Jughead,” Betty says, placing a hand on his shoulder. “She’s just trying to help.” She turns to Veronica with a sad smile. “FP is on parole. The last thing that the courts need to find out is that he’s gotten mixed up in the Serpents again.”

Jughead shrugs her hands off and continues to glare at Veronica. Betty steps in between them and gently pushes Jughead back a step. He looks down at her, eyes stormy and lost. He grabs her wrists and lowers himself so that they’re eye level. 

“We took care of Penny. She’s not a threat anymore,” he says slowly. Betty pulls her hand away and balls her hands into fists at her sides. Jughead stands up straight and sighs. “Look, she’s alive. But she’s not in Riverdale and the Serpents are safe. My  _ dad  _ is safe.”

“What did you do to her?” Betty asks. Jughead’s face drops and he closes his eyes. Veronica wonders what it is he’s seeing behind his eyelids. Betty must have the same thought. “God. Is this what you joined them for? Hurting people? You’re okay with that now?” 

“Don’t do this, Betty,” Jughead warns. Veronica steps forward, hand touching Betty’s lower back. Betty startles slightly before looking at Veronica with big, wet eyes. She wipes at them quickly. “I’m sorry, Betty. I am but you’re not my girlfriend anymore. You don’t get to question my life choices.”

“Yeah? Well, who made that decision, Jughead?” Betty snaps, turning back to Jughead.

“Look,” he says, giving her a contemptuous look. “You have a brand new person to worry about. You don’t need to worry about me, too.” 

“You don’t get to do that,” Betty says. Her voice drops a little and there’s a coldness there that Betty hasn’t heard since the fiasco with Chuck. “You don’t get to judge me for moving on, Jughead.” 

“And how long did it take you, Betty?” Jughead snaps. His face is pale with anger. Veronica is sure that he’s forgotten that anyone else is even in the room. Both of them have. “A week? Two?”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Betty asks.

“Everything! You and Archie were just waiting for each other. Ready to fall into each other’s arms the first chance that you could,” Jughead practically hisses. Veronica covers her mouth with her hand, frozen. She can’t turn away from his face. She doesn’t think she’s ever seen Jughead look so devastated. “You just proved to me what I always knew.” 

“And what’s that Jughead?” Betty hisses through clenched teeth. Her hands are curled into fists and Veronica can see how tightly they’re clenched. “What is it that you have always known?”

“That I was nothing more than a test run until Archie was finally done trying every other girl in Riverdale on for size,” Jughead says slowly, each word being drawn out of his mouth. Almost like it hurts. When he’s done, his mouth hangs open. He blinks and licks his lips. “Betty.”

“I have to go,” she says, turning on her heel with a nod. Her green eyes are swimming with tears. Veronica grabs her wrist and looks her in the eye. Betty smiles, wet and sad. “I’m fine, V. I have to meet Archie. I’ll email you about the article.” 

“Betty,” Veronica says. “Are you sure? I can walk with you.”

“Please, Veronica,” she says, voice cracking. She pulls her wrist free and gathers her things. “I don’t want to be late.” 

Betty rushes out of the room without saying anything to Jughead. He keeps his eyes on his boots until the classroom door slams shut behind her. When he looks up, Veronica wills herself not to cross the room to him. 

“How could you?” she asks, softly. “It’s not enough that you break her heart, you have to rub salt in the wound too?”

“That’s not,” he starts before clamping his mouth shut. He looks away from her and clenches his jaw. “It’s not worth it, if I just let her back in. It defeats the whole goddamn purpose.” 

“What is the purpose, Jughead?” Veronica asks. She shakes her head and rubs at her forehead. “You clearly never stopped loving her. So. Why? Why dump her in the first place?”

“To keep her away from all of this,” he says gesturing at his face. He rolls his eyes and looks up at the ceiling. “To keep her safe.” 

“God,” she says, shaking her head. “Men and your goddamn hero complexes.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Jughead asks, frowning at her. 

“You wanted to keep her safe so you dump her? What is this? An episode of Buffy?” Veronica asks with a scoff. “Sorry, Angel. But the martyrdom thing is not a good look on you.”

“I did what I thought was best,” Jughead growls. He takes his hat off and runs a hand through his hair. “It’s not my fault that shit keeps blowing up in my face.”

“Maybe,” Veronica says, stepping forward. She looks up at him and raises his eyebrows. “Or maybe you’re making all the wrong moves? We all make mistakes, Jughead, it’s okay to admit it.”

“Veronica,” he says with a sigh. He closes his eyes and lets out a slow breath through his nose. She doesn’t think about it too hard before leaning up and kissing him softly. He kisses her back, hands on her hips, and mouth hard against her own. “God, what are you doing to me?”

“I’m making you forget,” she whispers against his lips. She kisses him again, bites at his split lip and tastes blood on her tongue. “That’s what we agreed to, right? Helping each other forget. Comfort.”

“Right,” he mutters before sliding his hands down to her ass. He squeezes and drags her up, urging her to lift her legs to wrap around his hips. Veronica wraps her arms around his neck and kisses along his jaw. He turns and balances her on the edge of the desk. He cups her face and brings her mouth up to his. He looks her in the eye for a long minute and it sends a shiver down her spine. “Do you. Ever think about it?”

“About what?” she asks. She reaches up and brushes the hair from his forehead, traces his eyebrow with her thumb. There are warning bells going off in her head but she can’t seem to pay attention to them. 

“Us,” he says softly. He leans forward and kisses her softly. She cups the back of his head and doesn’t let him pull too far away from her. She doesn't think she can look him in the eyes right now.

“Oh, Jughead,” she whispers softly against his lips. She kisses him and pulls him in closer with her legs. He grinds against her center making her moan. Veronica runs her tongue along the seam of his lips, presses her hips forward when his tongue touches hers. He slides a hand along the inside of her thigh to the soaked bit of fabric covering her. Veronica pulls away with a gasp when he drags two fingers up her center. “Please.”

He slips his fingers inside of her and Veronica sighs, tilting her head back. Jughead kisses along her throat, nipping and licking across her collarbones. He slides in a second finger and curls upwards. Veronica cries out a little so Jughead presses a hand to her mouth. She narrows her eyes but can’t help the sounds that he’s forcing out of her with every shift of his fingers. 

Veronica reaches down between them and fumbles with Jugheads belt buckle. She claws his pants open, pulling his cock free. He finally moves his hand, cupping the back of her head to pull her in for a kiss. He pulls his fingers from inside her and wraps his hand over top of hers. He teases her entrance and Veronica inches herself forward. She can’t help the satisfied smile that spreads across her face when he slides into her. 

His pace is slow and leisurely. It sets her nerves on fire and after only a few seconds her cries begin to fill the room. Jughead kisses her again, soft and deep. His tongue explores her mouth and her hands tug at his shoulders, pulling him impossibly closer. She imagines that this is what it feels like to need and be needed in equal measure. She imagines that she could easily get addicted to this feeling. 

Her orgasm washes over her slowly, warmth spreading through her limbs until she feels like jelly. She pulls away from Jughead with a gasp and drops her head back, panting. He picks up his pace until he’s panting and pressing his forehead to her chest. She combs her fingers through his hair as her orgasm reaches its peak and she can feel Jughead finish inside of her. He whimpers a little, thrusting inside of her one last time before they collapse back onto the desk. 

“Mmmmm,” Veronica hums. She wiggles a little and rests her hands on the back of Jughead’s neck. “That was something.”

“It certainly was, Ronniekins,” Cheryl Blossom says from the doorway. Veronica pushes Jughead away from her and sits up. “Oh, don’t rush on account of me. Take your time.”

“Goddammit, Cheryl!” Veronica shouts as she adjusts her skirt. She can’t look at Jughead. She won’t. Cheryl, however, looks entirely too pleased with herself. 

“If you don’t want to get caught,” Cheryl says, crossing her arms and walking further into the classroom. “Maybe try  _ not _ having sex in a public space.”

“What do you want Cheryl?” Veronica asks through clenched teeth. Jughead’s silence speaks volumes to her. Volumes and volumes that amount to the same thing: he wanted this to stay quiet. He never wanted anyone to know about them. Considering the scene that she just saw between him and Betty, Veronica can’t say that she’s surprised.

“Well, I was looking for Cousin Cooper,” Cheryl says as she inspects her nails. She crosses her arms and sighs. “Apparently, I missed her. Though this is quite the interesting turn of events. I wonder, does Cousin Cooper know that her best friend is hooking up with the ex love of her life and the breaker of her heart?” 

“Cheryl,” Veronica and Jughead warn at the same time. She finally looks at him but his face is closed off, unreadable. Those stormy blue eyes that she’s so damn weak for are firmly fixed on Cheryl and nothing else. 

“Answer me this,” Cheryl says, eyes flicking to Jughead for the briefest of moments but her focus is entirely on Veronica. “Is it love or is it lust?”

Veronica inhales sharply and tries to sounding convincing when she says, “Lust.”

Jughead doesn’t say anything.

“Interesting,” Cheryl says slowly. She inspects Veronica for a moment longer before rolling her eyes. “Deal with it. Fast. I can’t guarantee my silence. Especially when family is involved.” 

She spins on her heels and disappears in a blur of red hair. Veronica slumps against the desk a second later, hand pressed to her chest. She chances a look at Jughead out of the corner of her eye. He looks shell shocked. 

“Jughead?” she asks. She reaches out to touch his shoulder and he flinches away from her. “Right. Well. I guess I’ll go. We can. Figure this out later.” 

Her voice is too soft, too melancholy but he doesn’t seem to notice. Veronica adjusts her clothes one last time before grabbing her purse and hurrying out of the classroom. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m sure your best friend can enlighten you. Secrets are poison, boys and girls. You’re welcome.”
> 
> “Jughead?” Archie asks, voice cracking slightly. Jughead can barely hear him over the pounding of his heart. Cheryl smiles at the devastation that she just wrecked and sighs contentedly before spinning on her heel and walking away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

The fallout of getting caught hits them a few days later. They’re sitting around the table at Pop’s. He sits across from Archie, trying to ignore the way Betty is watching him even though she’s curled under Archie’s arm. Veronica is her usual charming self next to him, full of stories about New York and her life as a young socialite. She directs her comments to everyone at the table but him. He’s not sure if anyone else has noticed.

Jughead occupies himself with his burger, barely controlling the coiled ball of anxiety that’s slowly getting tighter in his stomach. He wants to apologize to Betty. Desperately. But he knows that he can’t. He knows that if he did, if he had a moment of true honesty with her, that everything would spill out.

He’s just barely managed to get rid of Penny. The Serpents are still in shambles. The Southside is still being swallowed whole by the SoDale project. His life is still such a monumental shit show and he refuses to bring Betty into that. He simply can’t. 

He’s shoving the final bite of his burger when Cheryl steps up to the table with a bright, cherry red smile. She looks at the table until the conversation slowly peters out and the table turns to look at her. She folds her hands in front of her, “Hello, friends. You will not believe what I stumbled upon the other day.”

“Cheryl,” Veronica says, voice low. Betty looks at her with a frown, brows drawn down in confusion. “Don’t.”

“Cheryl, we don’t care about whatever drama you want to stir up,” Archie says with an exasperated sigh.

“Archiekins,” Cheryl admonishes with a small shake of her head. “I am simply trying to do a public service. Trust me. You will benefit from this.”

“Seriously, Cheryl,” Jughead snaps. “Back off.”

“Jughead?” Betty says, sitting up. She smiles, soft and confused. Jughead just makes a face at her before turning back to Cheryl. He can’t look at Veronica. 

“You had your chance, snakeling,” Cheryl snaps any pretense at niceness wiped away. Her smile is back in less than a second. Jughead looks at Veronica, sees the way she’s bracing herself. She’s curled into herself, eyes glued to the booth table. “The other day I was simply looking for my beloved cousin when I stumbled upon something that will positively blow all of your minds.” 

“Cheryl,” Veronica says, voice small and desperate. “Please.”

“You are so good at begging, Veronica,” Cheryl says, tilting her head. “I never would have pegged you for it. Considering the whole millennial feminist thing you have going on.”

“Veronica?” Betty asks. There’s a dawning horror on her face. She’s staring at Veronica, big eyes filling with tears. 

“What is going on?” Archie asks, looking between Betty and Veronica. 

“Ask Jughead, Archiekins,” Cheryl says, staring at Jughead. “I’m sure your best friend can enlighten you. Secrets are poison, boys and girls. You’re welcome.”

“Jughead?” Archie asks, voice cracking slightly. Jughead can barely hear him over the pounding of his heart. Cheryl smiles at the devastation that she just wrecked and sighs contentedly before spinning on her heel and walking away. “Did something happen? Between you and Veronica?”

“Archie, man,” Jughead starts. His voice is rough and low. Barely more than a croak. “It’s not. It’s not that simple.”

“Fuck, dude,” Archie says, throwing his hands up. “You fucked Veronica?”

“It’s more complicated than that,” Jughead tries. Archie snorts and rolls his eyes. Jughead feels his own temper spark and he glares across the table. “Oh, right, because we had an agreement about not fucking each other’s exes.”

“You snuck around behind our backs!” Archie shouts. 

“What do you care?” Veronica snaps. “You moved on, remember?” 

“We talked to you first,” Archie snaps back. His face is getting red and Jughead can see that Andrews temper starting to shine through. “We did it right. We were up front about it. We didn’t hide or sneak around. You’re supposed to be our friends.”

“And you were supposed to love me!” Veronica practically screams. A couple other tables turn to look at them. Veronica takes a deep breath, reining in her anger. “What I do now is none of your business.”

“It was just sex,” Jughead says quickly. He feels Veronica flinch next to him. He ignores it. “Besides, it’s over Archie. It’s done.”

“That doesn’t matter, Jughead,” Archie says, giving him a look. “What matters is that you’re keeping secrets. You’re going behind my back. I mean, how did this even happen?”

“Does it even matter?” Veronica asks. She laughs, a bitter and mean sound, and crosses her arms. She rests her elbows on the table and narrows her eyes at him. “I mean. You have Betty. You have your happy ever after. You don’t get to be upset, Archibald.”

“What about me?” Betty asks, voice thick with tears. “What about me, V? Do I get to be upset?”

“Betty,” Veronica says, deflating slightly. The guilt that Jughead has been drowning in washes over her face. “Betty. It was. I didn’t mean for it to happen.”

“You knew,” Betty says, sliding from the booth. “You knew, Veronica!”

“You  _ just  _ told me,” Veronica says, standing up as well. She reaches across Jughead for Betty but Betty steps backwards, disgusted. “I swear. I haven’t been with him since you told me.”

“Oh, congratulations, Veronica,” Betty snaps. “You haven't fucked my boyfriend in the last twenty four hours.” 

“He’s not your boyfriend, Betty,” Veronica replies quickly. Any signs of guilt momentarily wiped away by her anger. 

Betty draws back, eyes wide. She looks at Archie and then at Jughead. She opens and closes her mouth before shaking her head. She frowns and turns back to Veronica, “No. He’s not. But he is Jughead and you know what that means.”

Veronica opens her mouth to say something but Betty just holds up her hands before walking out of Pop’s. Jughead isn’t thinking as he slides out of the booth. He doesn’t think about Veronica or Archie. All he can see is Betty’s green eyes swimming with tears, her hands balled into fists. All he can think about is fixing this so that Betty doesn’t have to cry anymore. 

“Betty!” Jughead calls out as he rushes down the front steps of Pop’s. She pauses and turns to look at him. Her cheeks are pink in the cold and her arms are wrapped around her. “Betty, let me explain.”

“What is there to explain, Jughead?” Betty asks. She rubs at her eyes and curls into herself even more. “You slept with my  _ best _ friend.”

“Betty, it didn’t mean anything,” Jughead insists, even though the words sound like a lie to his own ears. “I swear.”

“It doesn’t matter, Jug,” Betty says, shaking her head and pressing her mouth into a thin. “None of it matters because we aren’t together.”

“You called me your boyfriend, Betts,” Jughead says softly. She inhales sharply and steps back from him. “Why did you do that?”

“Jughead,” she says, holding a hand out to him. He steps forward until her fingers are curling into his shirt. She won’t look him in the eye but she’s not running away from him anymore. 

“Betty,” Jughead murmurs. “Every single thing I’ve done since our breakup, including our breakup, has done nothing but make shit worse.”

“Please, don’t do this now,” Betty says. She takes a gasping breath and finally looks up at him. “I can’t, Jughead. I just. I can’t.” 

“Betty, please,” Jughead says, voice cracking. He presses his mouth into a thin line and breathes heavily through his nose. “I fucked up. I did something stupid. I let go of the best thing that has ever happened to me because I was scared and stupid. But please. Betty. Don’t give up on me yet.”

“ _ You _ gave up on us, Jughead!” Betty shouts. She digs her nails into her hair and scrapes back, gritting her teeth. “You turned  _ me _ away! And I’m trying to move on. I’m  _ trying _ so fucking hard!”

“Being with Archie shouldn’t be hard, Betty,” Jughead mutters. He ignores every instinct in him that says this is a bad idea and cups her cheek in his hand. He can’t help the sigh that slips through his mouth when she leans into it. He rubs his thumb back and forth over the apple of her cheek. Betty reaches up and grabs his wrist, sighing before pulling his hand away. 

“Being with you was never easy, either,” Betty says. She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. “I can’t do this, Jughead.” 

He doesn’t stop her this time when she walks away. Jughead watches the way her blonde ponytail sways until he can’t stand it anymore. He drags a hand through his hair, pulling off his hat. He wrings it in his hands before sighing and turning around to go back inside of Pop’s. 

Veronica is standing at the top of the steps, cape firmly wrapped around her shoulders and her purse held in front of her with both hands. Her face is perfectly blank as she studies him. He’s not sure what to do, unsure of how much she heard, unsure if it matters. They watch each other for a minute longer before a sleek, black car pulls up next to him. Veronica descends the stairs without a look at him and heads for the car. 

“Veronica,” he blurts. He doesn’t know what to say after that. He has nothing to say. She looks at him and slowly raises a single eyebrow. “I’m sorry.”

“For what it’s worth,” she says slowly, face still blank and eyebrow still raised. “Even if you regret it. I don’t.”

She slips into the backseat of the town car and a second later is gone. Jughead stares after the taillights unsure of what to do. Again he turns back to the front entrance of Pop’s and yet again he’s met with someone he’s just betrayed. Archie doesn't look angry anymore. Or not as angry. Jughead takes that for what it is and turns fully towards his best friend.

“Archie, man, I didn’t,” Jughead starts before cutting himself off. He clenches his jaw and looks down at his hands. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

“I know, Jughead,” Archie says. He walks down the steps slowly, eyes trained on his sneakers. Jughead waits with his heart in his throat. “Veronica, kind of, explained everything.”

“So, you’re not mad?” Jughead asks, hesitant. 

Archie stops in front of him and shakes his head. He claps a hand onto Jughead’s shoulder and squeezes tight enough to make Jughead gasp. He smiles and says with a laugh, “I’m fucking furious, dude. You went behind my back. You had sex with my ex-girlfriend and my current girlfriend called  _ you _ her boyfriend.”

“Yet you’re not beating the shit out of me?” Jughead asks with a grimace. Archie laughs a little and throws his arm around Jughead’s shoulders. “Dude, this is freaking me out.”

“If what you’re feeling is anywhere close to what I’m feeling right now,” Archie says with a small shrug. He looks at Jughead for a second before steering them towards his truck. “And I’m pretty sure it is. That’s punishment enough. Besides. Can’t afford to break my hand again. Pretty sure my dad would never forgive me if I gave him  _ more _ medical bills to deal with.”

“Fair enough,” Jughead says with a shake of his head. His heart is still in his throat. He doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to fix things with Betty. Or Veronica. At least, he’s not losing Archie in all of this. “Thanks, man.”

“You’re my best friend, Jug,” Archie says as he unlocks his truck. He gives Jughead a tired smile. “Things. They suck right now and we  _ all _ need some time but that’s never going to change.”

“You really are too good for me, Andrews,” Jughead says with a shake of his head. Archie nods in agreement before climbing into the truck. Jughead watches him pull away before heading over to his bike. He needs a drink. Or several drinks.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Why him?” Betty asks. “You can have any guy in Riverdale. Anyone. Why did it have to be Jughead?”
> 
> Veronica braces herself against the counter and drops her head. She takes a deep breath before turning around to finally face Betty. She crosses her arms and tries to ignore the guilt that gnaws at her when she sees the dark circles under Betty’s eyes.
> 
> “Kindred spirits,” she says after a second. She licks her lips and shrugs. “He was the only one who knew what it felt like.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love writing this fic and it looks like the quick updates might just keep coming? i already had 9 chapters written and i just finished writing chapter 11. of course it helps having the AMAZING template that Bearfacedcheek has written (seriously if you haven't read NPNR go do it).

“Betty?” Veronica asks, surprised. The blonde is standing at her door, arms wrapped tight around her waist. Veronica grabs onto the ties of her robe and stands up a little straighter. “What are you doing here?”

“We need to talk,” Betty says. She’s staring at Veronica with an intensity that Veronica remembers from the days when they were fighting over Archie. “We made a promise. To not let any boy come between us.”

“I remember,” Veronica mumbles. She tucks her hair behind her ear and clears her throat. She steps back and waves Betty through the door. “Come in. I’ll make us some coffee.”

“Thanks,” Betty says. She waits for Veronica to shut the door and follows her to the kitchen. Veronica can feel Betty’s eyes burning holes into her back. Veronica tries to not let it get to her. “I have to know.”

“Know what?” Veronica asks, trying to keep her voice even. She goes about making a pot of coffee, keeping her back to Betty the whole time. 

“Why him?” Betty asks. “You can have any guy in Riverdale.  _ Anyone _ . Why did it have to be Jughead?”

Veronica braces herself against the counter and drops her head. She takes a deep breath before turning around to finally face Betty. She crosses her arms and tries to ignore the guilt that gnaws at her when she sees the dark circles under Betty’s eyes. 

“Kindred spirits,” she says after a second. She licks her lips and shrugs. “He was the only one who knew what it felt like.”

“What what felt like?” Betty asks through clenched teeth. Veronica gives Betty a look that makes Betty scoff and roll her eyes. “I came to you first. I came to you and I told you what was going on. You said you were fine with it. You  _ encouraged _ me!”

“Because that stopped me from being heartbroken, right?” Veronica asks, voice soft and sad. “You fucked my ex first, Betty. I watched you and Archie for weeks before that first night with Jughead. Do you have any idea how much that hurt?” 

“That first night? God, how long?” Betty groans. Veronica clenches her jaw and turns away. Betty slaps her hands on the marble countertop. “How long, Veronica?”

“Why? So, you can have something else to throw in my face?” Veronica snaps. She rubs at her eyes and blows out through her nose. “Look. We turned to each other when we felt like shit. When seeing you and Archie together got to be too much.” 

“Do you you love him? Does he love you?” Betty asks, voice thick with tears. Veronica feels herself crumble a little. She steps forward and reaches across the breakfast island to grab Betty’s hand. She shakes her head emphatically.

“Betty,” Veronica says, lacing her fingers through Betty’s. “I swear you are the only one that Jughead Jones loves.”

Betty laughs, mean and ugly, before rolling her eyes. She pulls her hand away from Veronica and wipes at her face. 

“Right,” Betty says, every syllable laced with sarcasm. “He loves me so much that he’s been putting it to Veronica Lodge for weeks now.” 

“As backwards as it sounds, yes. He does,” Veronica says, nodding. “He is  _ that  _ heartbroken over what happened between you two. Do you honestly think that Jughead Jones would ever want me if he weren’t?” 

Veronica swallows down the bile that wants to crawl up her throat. Ignores the way her stomach flips over as she tries to reassure Betty even if every word that slips out of her mouth feels like a lie. Whatever was going on with her and Jughead. Whatever they were building, intentional or not, is over. He made that perfectly clear. Veronica can, at the very least, try to fix this.

“If I had known how you felt,” Veronica continues. She’s already come this far. She might as well commit. “I never would have touched him. I swear.” 

“You’re my best friend, Veronica,” Betty says suddenly. “You should have known. You were  _ supposed  _ to know!” 

“That’s not fair, Betty,” Veronica says through clenched teeth. She’s willing to take a small amount of blame but she refuses to be bulldozed over. “I’m not a mind reader and you only just told me.” 

Betty straightens up and sniffs a little. She nods and wipes at a stray tear from her face. Veronica is so weak to the way Betty’s green eyes swim with tears. She sighs and looks down at her fingers tapping on the counter. 

“Look, yes, you might be right and as your bestie, maybe, I should have been able to see that you weren’t all in with Archie,” Veronica says. She takes a deep breath and looks up at Betty. “But as  _ my _ bestie, maybe you should have seen the way I was hurting, too.” 

“Fine,” Betty says. “Maybe you’re right about that. But it doesn’t change what you did, Veronica. You slept with the love of my life. You can’t just say ‘my bad, girl’ and expect me to just accept it.” 

“You were dating Archie! You were acting all in love with Archie Andrews! You can’t call Jughead the love of your life and be dating Archie at the same time, Betty,” Veronica snaps. She’s not perfect and the words fly from her mouth before she can think about it. She takes a deep breath and ignores the way Betty’s face crumbles with pain. “I don’t expect anything from you, Betty. We both messed up. Hell, all four of us have. So, you need time and that’s fine. I get that. What I don’t get is why you’re here  _ now _ .”

“I told you,” Betty insists. “I’m here because. Because you’re still my friend. And while I’m hurt and confused and everything is such a fucking mess, I don’t want to lose you, Veronica.” 

“Are you sure?” Veronica says. She narrows her eyes at Betty. “Cause it certainly feels like you’re just here to make me feel shitty. Which. Again. Fair. I guess.” 

“Maybe,” Betty mumbles. She sighs and closes her eyes, relaxing her hands on the counter. “Maybe you’re right but that doesn’t change the fact that I still want to be your friend.”

Veronica smiles a little and reaches out her hand for Betty’s again. Betty smiles shyly and reaches out, covering Veronica’s palm with her own. They hold hands for a moment longer before Betty pulls away and checks her watch. 

“I have to go fix things with Archie,” Betty says. It doesn’t go unnoticed that Betty has made zero mention of fixing things with Jughead. Veronica isn’t sure if she’s happy about that or not. Betty gives Veronica another small smile. Veronica can see that it isn’t genuine but at least she’s trying. It makes Veronica’s returning smile feel a little less forced. “Thanks. For talking with me.” 

“Thank  _ you  _ for talking,” Veronica says with a nod. “Trust me. These nails are purely decorative. I could not take you in a fight.”

Betty laughs awkwardly and Veronica cringes. She escorts Betty back to the front door and gives her an awkward hug. As soon as Veronica closes the door she slumps back against it and closes her eyes. She takes a moment to collect herself before heading back to the kitchen for the coffee that she had started making. 

She knew that this was all going to end messily and she dove in head first anyways. Veronica sips at her coffee and tries to come to terms with it. She hasn’t lost Betty. She hasn’t lost Archie. The only person that she’s lost is Jughead and did she even have him to begin with? Veronica remembers how it felt to hear Jughead more or less admit to regretting their little affair. She rolls her eyes at herself and grabs an apple before walking towards her room. She’s stopped by another knock on the front door. 

“Betty, did you forget something?” Veronica asks as she opens the door. She’s shocked to see Jughead. His hands are shoved into his jacket pockets and he’s looking everywhere but at her. “Jughead?”

“Betty was here?” he asks, shuffling his feet. She doesn’t know if she should invite him in. She can’t see it being a good idea. She nods and clenches the door knob. He looks over her shoulder into the apartment for a long minute before asking, “Your parents out of town again?”

“What do you want, Jughead?” she asks, not moving out of the way. He narrows his eyes at her but she doesn’t back down. She knows that under all the leather and glowering looks, he’s still the mostly harmless writer-loner that he’s always been. 

“What do you think? To talk,” he says like it’s obvious. Veronica rolls her eyes. “Look, I don’t know how much you heard between me and Betty but whatever you heard, I can explain.”

“There’s nothing to explain, Jughead,” Veronica says. She rubs at her eyes before sighing. “Come inside. I don’t need to do this in the hallway.”

He follows her to the kitchen and Veronica makes him a cup of coffee, topping off her own mug. His fingers brush against hers as she hands him the mug. Veronica has to resist the urge to shiver. He watches her over the rim of his mug as he sips, smiling softly as he pulls the mug away from his mouth. 

“You know how I like it,” he mutters like that matters. Like it means anything to him. 

Veronica shrugs, “I’ve made you coffee enough times, Forsythe. It’s easy enough to remember two sugars. So. Why are you here?”

“I wanted. I wanted to make sure that you were okay,” he says slowly. He continues to drink his mug and Veronica is pretty sure its just so he has something to do with his hands. “I know that the other day was kind of a cluster fuck.”

“That’s an understatement,” Veronica says, tilting her head. She narrows her eyes at him and scans his face. He hasn’t been sleeping. She can see that much. “Look, Jughead. We both knew that our little . . . arrangement was going to be temporary. It was only a matter of time.”

“I didn’t,” he starts before cutting himself off. He breathes out through his nose loudly. “I didn’t mean for it to end this way.”

“I know,” Veronica says with a sigh. “Trust me. This isn’t how I wanted things to go either.”

“How did you want things to go?” he asks softly. The question catches her off-guard. They’d never talked about an end date for their relationship (and there is definitely a part of her that’s rolling her eyes at the idea of calling what she has with Jughead a relationship). 

“Well, for starters, Cheryl wouldn’t have walked in on us,” she says with a small smirk. He chuckles a little and shakes his head. “I, honestly, don’t know why we expected her to keep her mouth shut.”

“Wishful thinking?” he says, raising his eyebrows. He sighs and runs a hand down his face. His eyes are that stormy blue that she finds irresistible. It takes all of her willpower not to go to him, not to try and soothe some of that ache. 

“It’s probably for the best anyways,” Veronica says before sipping at her coffee again. Jughead gives her a confused look and shakes his head. “Well, alright, I could definitely have done without the friend-pocalypse that just happened but we never would have known otherwise.”

“Known what?” Jughead asks. He still looks confused and it makes something flutter in Veronica’s chest. She knows that it is entirely inconvenient for her to start recognizing her feelings now but she can’t seem to stop.

“That Betty isn’t over you?” Veronica asks with her best fake laugh. She runs her fingers along the rim of her coffee mug and looks at him through her lashes. “I’m sure that was the best news you’ve heard in weeks.”

“Veronica,” he says, voice soft and sad sounding. “It - I -”

“You ran after her like it was,” Veronica says with a shrug, cutting off whatever it is he’s trying to say. She turns around to refill her mug, talking over her shoulder. “And it’s fine. The whole point of us was to make it ache less, make it hurt less, right? And, now, you have the chance to make the ache go away entirely.”

“Veronica,” he says and he’s right behind her. Her hands wrap around her mug, the heat seeping into her skin. 

“Please, don’t make this into a thing, Jughead,” she says softly. She closes her eyes and exhales loudly, letting her chin drop into her chest. She can feel Jughead’s breath on the back of her neck. “I am fine. I promise. Honestly, I’m still a little confused that you’re even here.”

“I told you,” he says and she can still feel every puff of breath against her skin. She should tell him to back off, to push him away but a not-so-guilty part of her likes having him close. “I wanted to check on you.”

“You could have texted or called,” she says, turning around finally. It puts her face dangerously close to his but neither of them backs off. “You didn’t have to come here.”

“I wanted to,” he says softly. His eyes flick to her mouth and her heart crawls into her throat. He exhales slowly and Veronica can smell the coffee on his breath. “I wanted to see you.”

“Why, Jughead?” she asks again. She crosses her arms, feels his jacket brush against her skin. She raises an eyebrow and purses her lips waiting for an answer. He sighs and finally takes a step back. “Go to Betty.”

“What?” he asks, shaking his head in confusion. Like he didn’t hear her right. “Are you serious?”

“I don’t know why you’re here when you have a chance to win her back,” Veronica says, pushing each word past her lips. “There’s no reason for you to be here.”

“Whatever that was. With Betty calling me her boyfriend? I don’t think it actually meant anything,” Jughead says. Veronica can’t tell if he actually believes that or not. He must be able to see it on her face because he rolls his eyes. “She’s still with Archie, Veronica. They’re still together.”

“You know what Betty told me? Before Cheryl dropped her atomic bomb?” Veronica asks. She sighs and closes her eyes, tilting her head back. “I still want him, Veronica. All of him. In every way. I don’t think I ever stopped.”

“Why are you telling me this?” he asks and there’s a distrustfulness there that she hasn’t heard in months. It’s almost enough to make her stop. Almost. She opens her eyes and looks at him, trying to keep her face neutral. 

“Because. You and Betty love each other. So much. And if I can help you two be happy?” she asks, tilting her head at him. His face is pale and she doesn’t know why. She doesn’t try to figure it out either. She’s cutting them both loose. It’s for the best. “Don’t be stupid, Jughead. Don’t lose a second chance with the woman you love.”

“I don’t understand,” Jughead says slowly, shaking his head. 

“You don’t have to,” Veronica says. She picks up her coffee and takes a long sip. “I’m setting you free, Jughead Jones. At least one of us should get to be happy. I  _ need  _ you to be happy, Jug. Now, go chase the girl.”

The fact that he leaves not a minute later damn near breaks her heart.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Can’t we try? Would it be insane to try? To build something new? Something better?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i got nothing to say.

“You’re being a coward,” Toni says as she crosses her arms and stares Jughead down. Jughead raises an eyebrow at her, waiting for an explanation. “Cheryl gave me the Cliffnotes version of the chaos she unleashed last week.”

“I still don’t like that you two are . . . what? Fuck buddies? Girlfriends? Have you figured that out yet?” Jughead asks. He knows that he’s deflecting and based on the way that Toni rolls her eyes, she knows it too. “What do you want me to do, Toni?”

“Maybe go talk to Betty?” Toni asks, raising an eyebrow. “I know you’re not usually this stupid, Jones.”

“What do you even care? You don’t like Betty,” Jughead points out.

“That is so not the point,” Toni says, shaking her head. “And for the record, it’s not that I dislike Betty. I just don’t like that she tried to join the Serpents for all of the wrong reasons.”

“I, for one, don’t like her,” Sweetpea says as he sits down on the stool next to Jughead. Toni throws a bar nut at him but it doesn’t faze him. “I don’t like any of them.”

“No one asked your opinion, Sweetpea,” Jughead says, frowning at him. He turns back to Toni who hasn’t stopped staring at him. “If Betty wants to talk to me, she knows where I am. The ball is in her court.”

“And Veronica?” Toni asks. Jughead ignores the way his stomach drops at the mention of Veronica. He hasn’t seen her since he went by the Pembroke last week. He figures that it’s better this way. She doesn’t want him and he still loves Betty. “What are you doing about her?”

“Woah, you and the Lodge princess?” Sweetpea asks. He whistles a little and pats Jughead on the back. “Never thought you had it in you, Jones.”

“I thought you didn’t like any of them?” Jughead asks. He knows he sounds irritated but it’s Sweetpea so he doesn’t really care. “Now you’re congratulating me?”

“Lodge is hot. Her family is fucked up but she’s hot,” Sweetpea says with a shrug. He snags Jug’s beer and smirks as he sips from the bottle. “Plus,  never thought you’d stop mooning over the turncoat’s daughter long enough to get your dick wet anywhere else.”

“Gross, Sweets,” Toni says. She grabs Jughead’s beer and makes a show of pouring it out. Both Jughead and Sweetpea make loud noises of protest. “You both know the rules. You’re going to be misogynistic pigs in front of me? Then I get to take your drinks away.”

“I wasn’t being a pig,” Jughead says. He reaches over the bar and snags an empty glass. He stares Toni down as he reaches for the tap to fill his glass. Toni smacks at his hand and takes the glass away. “Come on, Toni.”

“You weren’t being a pig but you are being a scared little shit,” Toni replies. She puts the glass down on the bar and tilts her head, looking past Jughead.

“Excuse me for not rushing into emotional self-destruction head first,” Jughead snaps. Sweetpea snorts and Jughead turns to him. “What?”

“Just. Rushing in head first is kind of your MO, Jones,” Sweetpea replies with a shrug. He leans back against the bar and whistles low. “You’re not the only one, apparently.”

“Sweetpea,” Veronica says as she walks up to them. Toni raises an eyebrow at Jughead before turning her smirk to Veronica. “Toni.”

“Veronica,” Toni says slowly. “What can I get you?” 

“Something strong,” Veronica says with a small smirk. “And hopefully better than the shitty bourbon that I had last time I was here.” 

“Strong I can do,” Toni says with a nod. “Can’t promise that the liquor is going to be any better.” 

“Well, I’m sure you’ll steer me in the right direction,” Veronica says. Jughead gets the distinct feeling that they’re flirting and he doesn’t know what to do with that information. Sweetpea seems to be in the same boat. “Now, Jughead. We need to talk.”

“About?” he asks, raising his eyebrows. Toni slides Veronica her drink before resting her hands on the bar. Veronica takes the time to try it first before turning back to him, giving Toni an approving smile once she’s done.

“What do you think?” she asks with an exasperated sigh. When he doesn’t answer, Veronica huffs. “Betty. I’m here to talk about Betty and the fact that you haven’t fixed things with her. What are you waiting for?”

“Veronica,” Jughead groans. He presses his forehead to the bar. He rests there until he feels Veronica press her cheek to his shoulder. “You know it’s not that easy.”

“It could be,” she says softly. He can smell the vodka on her breath, can feel the warmth of her cheek through his shirt. “It could be so easy but you have to let it be, Jughead.”

“Why do you even care?” he snaps suddenly. He sits up, jarring Veronica off of him. Her drink splashes in the glass, droplets hitting the back of her hand. Jughead swallows the lump in his throat when she raises her hand to her mouth and licks it. He shakes himself and tries to ignore the way his dick throbs. “What does it matter to you if I get back together with Betty? Why are you here?”

“Betty is my best friend and you,” she pauses for a second, eyes scanning over his face. She doesn’t finish the thought and he’s left wondering how she describes him in her mind. “I care about both of you, okay? And if I can somehow facilitate your mutual happiness? Then I’m going to do it.”

“Is that what this is? Hunting me down and bullying me into talking to her is how you help?” he asks with a sneer. “Why aren’t you off getting your own happy ending?”

“What?” Veronica asks, face dropping for a second. She quickly shakes it off but he knows what he saw. “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb,” Jughead replies. He turns to face her fully. Both Sweetpea and Toni have moved to the other end of the bar. He’s sure they can still hear their conversation but at this point, he’s hurt enough to not care. Because it fucking hurts having her push him away twice. It shouldn’t but it does. “We both know you’re just making sure that Archie stays available. So, why aren’t you off having your own heartfelt reunion?”

“Archie and I,” she starts before slamming her mouth shut. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. Because my relationship with Archie, as non-romantic as it is right now, doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t change the fact that you are needlessly making yourself miserable.”

“Veronica,” he says through clenched teeth. She reaches forward and grabs his forearm, sliding her hand down to his wrist. 

“Please, Jughead,” she says softly and something in her voice makes him pause. She lets out a shaky breath and looks deeply into his eyes. It’s hard to ignore how earnest she is, hard to ignore how much he wants to just take her in his arms. “I just want to make things right, okay? Please. Let me.”

She stiffens then, hand jerking away from him. Jughead narrows his eyes but Veronica isn’t looking at him anymore, she’s looking past him towards the door. 

“What?” Jughead asks as he looks over his shoulder. Betty is standing there, hair pulled into a low ponytail. She looks tired and resigned. Almost like she doesn’t even want to be there. Considering what happened the last time Betty Cooper stepped into the White Wyrm, he can’t blame her. “Betty?”

“Can we talk?” she asks. She glances at Veronica and something cold flashes across her face. “Alone?” 

“Yeah,” he says softly. He can hear Sweetpea start to laugh and Toni shush him a second later. He doesn’t even spare Veronica a passing glance as he wipes his sweaty palms on his pants and stands up. “Let’s. We can walk to the trailer.” 

It’s a shitty suggestion but Betty doesn’t argue it. She just nods and turns on her heel, heading back out the door. Jughead lets out a slow breath and tries to calm the way his heart is racing. 

The walk to the trailer is a silent one. Betty keeps her hands wrapped around her waist and looks forward. She has a look of pure determination on her face. One that he knows well. He’s not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing. 

“Dad?” Jughead calls as he steps through the door. Silence meets him. “Must be out.” 

“Why was Veronica at the White Wyrm?” Betty asks without hesitation. Jughead drops his chin to his chest and sighs. “I thought. I thought that you two weren’t. That there wasn’t anything there.”

“Why are you here, Betty?” Jughead asks, turning towards her. 

“Are you two together now?” Betty asks, ignoring his question. She steps closer stares at him, her green eyes filling with tears. “Jughead?”

“No, Betty!” Jughead snaps. She flinches and his chest deflates. He licks his lips and lowers his voice. “No. Veronica and I are not a thing.”

“Archie and I broke up,” she says suddenly, the words flying out at him. They hit him in the chest and he’s not sure if it’s excitement or dread that he’s feeling. “We talked and talked and talked but, in the end, we broke up.”

“I’m sorry, Betty,” he says but the words sound hollow to his ears.

“Are you, Jug?” she asks, narrowing her eyes at him. “Are you really?”

“Of course I am,” he says, instantly. “The last thing I want is for you to be hurting.”

“And if I’m not? Hurting, that is?” Betty asks. “Are you sorry then?” 

“Jesus, Betty, what do you want me to say?” he asks. He turns his back on her and breathes out loudly through his nose. “You were dating my best friend. My best friend. How am I supposed to feel?”

“Just. Tell me whatever it is that you told Veronica,” Betty snaps. “How about you start there?”

“Betty, we broke up for a reason,” he says, balling his hands into fists. It’s a lame attempt to deflect, a lame attempt to stick to his bullshit. 

“And you said that reason was a mistake,” Betty says, voice laced with irritation. She grabs his shoulders and turns him around to face her. Her hands cup his face and her eyes fill with tears. “You said that breaking up was a mistake.”

“So, Archie breaks up with you and you come running back to me?” Jughead asks because he can’t help it. She flinches a little and looks down. He grabs her wrists and pulls her hands away from his face. “It’s over, Betty. Whatever we had - we can’t get that back.”

“Veronica says you still love me,” she says looking up at him, eyes searching. “She says that you still love me. And Jug. Jughead. I have  _ never  _ stopped loving you.”

“There’s no guarantee that things will be better,” he says, a last ditch effort to sway both of them from this train of thought. She bites her lip and looks down, shaking her head and pulling her hands free. “That we’ll be better.”

“I just,” she starts. She pauses to take a deep breath. “I miss you, Jug. I’ve missed you. Every single day. I tried so hard to be with Archie. I loved him. I did. I do. But. You were never far from my thoughts.” 

“I’m not leaving the Serpents,” he says instantly. His heart wants to leap from his chest at her confession. “They’re a gang but they’re my family. I’m trying.  _ We’re _ trying to be better than before and I have a lot to do with that. I won’t walk away from them.” 

“I’m not asking you to, Jug,” Betty says. She reaches for his hand again, lacing their fingers  together. “I wasn’t thrilled that you joined them. You know that but I’ve only ever wanted to be part of your world.”

“That’s why you did the dance,” he says. It’s something that they’ve both known. Something that he’s known since she first stepped up onto that stage. She licks her lips and nods. Jughead sighs. “I don’t want you trying to be something that you’re not. Not for me, Betty. Not ever.”

“There’s a darkness in me, Jug,” she whispers. “You know that.”

“I do know that,” he agrees. “I do but pretending to be the good girl gone bad isn’t going to help you solve anything. It’s not going to help you understand that darkness and it’s not going to fix what was going wrong with us.”

She presses her mouth into a thin line. She asks him softly, “Is that what you think I was doing?”

“Betty - did you want to be a Serpent or did you want to be with me?” Jughead asks slowly. He rubs his thumb over her knuckles without thinking. Betty glances down at their hands. “Is it me that you want or some pseudo-attempt to deal with your darkness?”

“I want to be with you, Jughead. It’s always been you,” Betty says without hesitation. She pulls his hand to her chest and clutches it with both hands. “I’ve always just wanted to be with you. I thought. I thought being a Serpent would make it easier. Better.”

“Betty,” he says. He can hear Veronica in his head telling him that one of them deserves to be happy, telling him that he loves Betty. And he does. He swears he does even if he can’t shake the feeling that this is wrong. That getting back together with Betty isn’t going to solve anything no matter how badly he wants it to. “We can’t just go back in time.”

“I know that but,” she pauses and licks her lips. Her eyes are so earnest when she looks at him again. Earnest and full of a love that he’s missed so desperately. “Can’t we try? Would it be insane to try? To build something new? Something better?” 

He sees Veronica’s blank face when she stood on the steps of Pop’s. The way she wouldn’t look at him when Cheryl caught them. The way she insisted that he go to Betty. Her laugh. Her nails digging into his back. The ugly snort that she only let out when something was truly funny. The way her eyes bore into his as she demanded that he find his own happiness. The feel of her cheek on his shoulder.

He kisses Betty, cups the back of her head and holds her to him. He can feel her lips quirk into a smile against his lips. Her fingers touch his jaw, trail down his neck, before finally burying themselves into his hair. He wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her closer, swallowing down the small sounds that Betty keeps making. It’s as familiar to him as breathing but he still can’t shake the feeling that he’s doing this for everyone but himself.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica drinks too much champagne and nurses her broken heart for two nights after visiting Jughead at the White Wyrm. She allows herself that much at least. She’s allowed to be pitiful and sad. But the second Monday morning rolls around, Veronica throws open the curtains of her bedroom and puts on her favorite shade of purple lipstick.

Veronica drinks too much champagne and nurses her broken heart for two nights after visiting Jughead at the White Wyrm. She allows herself that much at least. She’s allowed to be pitiful and sad. But the second Monday morning rolls around, Veronica throws open the curtains of her bedroom and puts on her favorite shade of purple lipstick. 

She marches into the student lounge that afternoon completely unprepared to see Jughead and Betty curled into each other and talking softly. It’s a sight that is so familiar. One that she’s walked in on a hundred times before but she finds that she can’t move. Veronica watches them for a moment longer, feeling her throat growing tighter and tighter. 

_ Oh. _

It hurts. The same singular pain she felt when Archie had been the one curled into Betty Cooper. But she doesn’t try to run away from it. She cradles the feeling inside, holds it close and lets it spread through her veins. It seems to pass through her and when Betty looks up at her with a shy smile, Veronica finds it easy to force a smile onto her own face. 

Somehow, she manages to keep the smile on her face for the rest of the week. But by the time Friday rolls around, Veronica can barely handle it anymore. Her heart feels heavy in her chest. She tells herself that she can carry it. That as long as he’s happy she can bear it. That this kind of love can make her selfless. That that’s what love is supposed to do. Make you better.

Ultimately, she takes the coward’s route and avoids. She had done the grin and bear it routine after Archie. Veronica doesn’t have the energy to dedicate to doing it again. She takes on a more active role in the company, takes lunch in her mother’s office going over accounting paperwork. Schedules her freetime in a way that she was rarely around Jughead at all. If anyone notices, no one says anything. 

She starts jogging in the morning in a desperate attempt to clear her head. She’s not surprised when she literally runs into Archie near Pickens Park early one Saturday. He smiles at her and falls into step next to her. The only sounds this early in the morning are their sneakers against the pavement and the sound of their breathing. They don’t say anything as they run through the town. By the time that Veronica’s calves are screaming, they’re near Pop’s. 

“Breakfast?” Veronica pants as she slows down. Archie nods and slows down as well. She smiles at him and turns towards the diner. They stop in the parking lot and Veronica puts her hands on her hips. “Are you always up this early on a Saturday?”

“Got to stay in shape,” Archie says with a shrug. “Football season waits for no man.”

“Archie Andrews, you are a true renaissance man,” Veronica says with a fond smile. “Does your football star regimen allow for pancakes?”

“Nothing can stop me from eating pancakes, Ronnie,” Archie says with a laugh. He throws an arm around her shoulders and guides her into the restaurant. It’s empty inside but Veronica isn’t surprised. “How have you been? I feel like I’ve barely seen you since. Well, you know.”

“Slowly recovering,” she says with a shrug as they slide into a booth. “Betty and I are on speaking terms, which is way more than I thought I would get from her. And we’re on speaking terms. Thankfully, the fallout from Cheryl’s atomic gossip bomb doesn’t seem to have cause any lasting damage.”

“And Jughead?” he asks softly. Veronica sighs and avoids the question when the waitress brings them two cups of coffee. Archie reaches across the table and grabs her hand. “Come on, Veronica. You can talk to me about it.”

“You want me to talk about my . . . whatever that was with Jughead?” Veronica asks, raising an eyebrow. “You sure about that, Archiekins?”

“You listened to me talk about Grundy. And Val. And Cheryl. And Betty,” Archie lists off with a laugh. “I think I can handle you talking about Jughead. I mean, we’re friends, right?”

“Of course,” Veronica says, giving him a soft smile. “We weren’t really friends before all of this happened. We aren’t really friends now. Nothing’s really changed.”

Archie raises his eyebrows at her and chuckles, shaking his head, “Except everything has, kind of, changed. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how you conveniently are never around when he is. Have you even talked to him since that weekend?”

“Are you sure you want to get into this?” Veronica asks, narrowing her eyes at him. The waitress brings their breakfast - a stack of pancakes and bacon for Archie, waffles and sausage for Veronica - and Archie digs in without answering her. Veronica sighs and covers her waffles with butter and syrup before continuing. “My entire thing with Jughead was predicated on the idea that he was still in love with Betty Cooper. And guess what happened as soon as she was available again? He confessed his love and they got back together.”

“Okay, that was all what Jughead wanted. What about what you wanted?” Archie asks around a mouthful of bacon. Veronica makes a face and he smirks before washing it down with some coffee.

“What difference does it make?” Veronica insists before she stabs her fork into her sausage. “What does it matter when Betty is who he chose?”

“Veronica,” Archie says, all the teasing from a moment before gone. Veronica looks up from her plate but Archie isn’t looking at her. He’s frowning down at his pancakes like they hold all the answers to life’s questions. Veronica reaches out a hand, gently touching his forearm. He looks up at her and sighs. “Do you have feelings for Jughead?”

Veronica almost jerks her hand away but Archie grabs her fingers, lacing them together. She sighs, the small sound coming out shakier than she feels, and turns away from his big, understanding eyes. Archie runs his thumb over her knuckles and she tries to remember what it was like to be heartbroken by him. She knows that it had hurt. Hurt bad enough to send her running right into Jughead’s arms for comfort. 

“Its okay if you do,” Archie says. “He was there for you when, I’m sure, it felt like no one else was.”

“Archie, please stop,” Veronica says, holding a hand up. Archie opens his mouth one more time before shutting it. She sighs and tries to give him a soft smile. She’s half sure that it comes out as more of a grimace. “As much as I appreciate the attempt at a heart-to-heart, this is not something I want to get even more into.”

“Ronnie,” Archie starts but is cut off by his phone ringing. He gives her an apologetic smile. He answers the call and Veronica waits patiently for him to finish. By the time he’s hung up the phone, Veronica has finished her coffee and most of her waffles. “Sorry about that.” 

“Everything okay, Archiekins?” Veronica asks as she continues to eat. She raises her eyebrows at him. He shakes his head and Veronica leans forward. “What is it, Archie?”

“The SoDale project,” Archie says softly. He looks up at Veronica and takes a deep breath. “It was my dad. The Blossoms are trying to undercut my dad, trying to get Lodge Industries to drop Andrews Construction in favor of Clifford Blossom’s company.”

“Oh Archie,” Veronica says with a sad sigh. “I’m so sorry to hear that.” 

Archie chews the inside of his cheek for a second, eyebrows drawn together in concentration. Veronica tries not to fidget beneath his gaze but she’s lived her whole life as one of the rich and fabulous. So she knows when someone is about to ask a favor. It’s almost a sixth sense at this.

“I know that your dad never liked me,” he starts. “And I’m sure he hates my dad. But could you talk to him? Convince him to keep Andrews Construction on the SoDale project?” 

“I will see what I can do, Archiekins,” Veronica says with a demure smile and nod. Archie instantly relaxes, letting out a relieved sigh. “Are things that bad, though?” 

“Riverdale is small, Veronica,” Archie says with a shrug. “And getting smaller. People don’t want the small town life, so all those small town construction projects that kept my dad in business?” 

“They’re drying up,” Veronica says with a nod. “And I’m sure Lodge Industries isn’t actually helping.” 

“It’s business but once the SoDale community is done?” Archie says, finishing a shrug. He drags a hand down his face and gives Veronica a small smile. “Sorry, Ronnie. You don’t want to hear all of this.” 

“Hey,” she says with a wave of her hand. “We’re still friends, as you so aptly pointed out. And friends are there to listen.” 

“Thanks, Veronica,” he says, giving her that crooked smile that used to set her heart racing. She finds it easier to smile back than it had been a few weeks ago. Without all the secrets and lies between them, being around Archie is easy like it once was. 

“I am sorry,” she says after a moment. “For how everything went down between us. And with you and Betty. I’m sorry for any pain that I might have caused you, Archie. That was the last thing that I wanted.”

“I don’t know about the last thing,” Archie says with a small smirk. “I’ve seen you mad, Ronnie. It’s okay if you were out for blood.”

“It wasn’t on purpose,” she says, laughing slightly. “Yes, I was angry. That you moved on so fast. That you couldn't just wait for me to feel the same as you. But I did not.” She pauses to huff and roll her eyes at the way his smirk seems to be getting bigger. “The thing with Jughead. It wasn’t about you.” 

Archie raises his eyebrows and she tosses a balled up napkin at him. He bats it away with a smile that Veronica glares at. She waits a moment before continuing, “I mean, it started being about you but the longer it went on the less about you it became.”

It’s the closest that she can get to admitting to having feelings for Jughead. It’s the best that she can do right now. Besides, what good were they when he was off with Betty? What good was wasting that one little word on him? 

“After we broke up,” Archie starts, looking up at her for a second. “Betty was really there for me. She’s always been there. And I just. I finally saw her, Veronica. I saw all of her and I loved her. So much. I couldn’t see anything else. I couldn’t see how much it hurt you. Or Jughead. All I saw was Betty and how happy she made me.”

“Archie,” Veronica says softly. There’s a sweetness to his voice that she hasn’t heard before. Not even when they were together. She half wonders if her voice takes on that dreamlike quality when talking about Jughead. 

He looks up at her for a second before sighing and looking down again. He takes a deep breath before continuing, “It made me selfish and shitty and I’m sorry, too, Ronnie.”

“I get it,” Veronica says, thinking, again, of Jughead. “Sometimes love makes us shitty.”

“Isn’t it supposed to make you better?” Archie asks with a sad sigh. He gives Veronica that crooked smile that is always so sweet. “Aren’t you supposed to be a better person because you’re in love?”

“Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case for us,” Veronica replies. She reaches across the table and covers his hand with her own. “But don’t worry, Archie Andrews, you’re still a good person. In fact, you’re probably the best person that I know.”

“I just,” he starts before groaning and pressing his forehead to the table. He breathes out slowly before looking up at Veronica. “I can’t get her out of my head, Ronnie.”

“Your timing was just off, Archie,” Veronica says. It should feel wrong comforting him like this but, at the end of the day, Archie is one of her closest friends. This is the least that she can do. “Like I told you when I first moved here. Your story with Betty Cooper is far from being over.”

Archie gives her a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes but she’ll take it. He checks his phone again and Veronica can see the slew of text messages that are waiting for him. Archie’s eyebrows draw down into a frown as he reads through them. Once he’s done, he lets out a long sigh that sounds far too old. Veronica raises her eyebrows at him in a silent question. 

“I need to get home and help my dad,” Archie says after a moment of chewing the inside of the his cheek. “He wants to go over the finances one more time before going to the crew.” 

“You’re really stepping up, Archie,” Veronica says with a small frown. 

“It’s the family business,” Archie says with a shrug. It’s unenthusiastic and something about the way he says family business makes her sad.

“But you were never into construction,” Veronica says slowly. She drags her fork through the remaining syrup on her plate as Archie takes his time coming up with an answer. 

“After the shooting,” Archie says slowly. “After almost losing my dad. I just. I have to be there for him, you know?”

“He’s so lucky to have you, Archie,” Veronica says with a sincere smile. Archie blushes a little before scratching the back of his neck and sliding out of the booth. He moves to pull his wallet out but Veronica waves her hand at him. “Go. This is my treat.”

He leans over and presses his lips to her cheek. Veronica cups his jaw and savors the feeling of his lips on her skin. He pulls away a fraction of an inch and whispers against her cheek, “Thanks, Veronica.”

“Anytime,” she replies just as softly before he pulls away entirely. He throws her another bright smile over his shoulder as he leaves Pop’s. Veronica watches him through the window until he’s a red dot in the distance.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I thought it was date night,” Veronica says, keeping a hand on Sweetpea’s forearm. She doesn’t step towards him though, just stares at him with wide eyes.
> 
> “You know when my date nights are?” Jughead asks, laughing a little. He takes a step towards the group but Veronica steps back into Sweetpea.
> 
> “I mean, Betty said she wasn’t free tonight,” Veronica says, shaking her head.

“My parents are having another epic-level meltdown over Polly and the twins,” Betty explains over the phone. Jughead kicks at the gravel, his free hand shoved into his jacket pocket. “I have to try and referee or else Mom starts throwing things. It’s just better if I’m here.”

“I get it,” Jughead says, nodding. “Don’t even worry about it.”

“I just feel bad having to cancel on date night,” Betty says and he can hear the pout in her voice.

“There will be more date nights,” Jughead says with a slight chuckle. “Take care of your family.”

“Thanks, Juggie,” Betty says softly. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” he says before hanging up.

He shoves his phone in his pocket, adjusts his beanie and opens the door to the White Wyrm. Toni is supposed to be working the bar which usually means that Sweetpea and Fangs are playing pool or arcade games. What he doesn’t expect to walk in on is Veronica and Cheryl dancing on one of the tables.

“Oh, dear, the poo patrol is here,” Cheryl says with a pout. She smirks at Veronica and wraps an arm around her waist. “Veronica, your favorite Serpent is here.”

Veronica spins around in Cheryl’s arms and stares at Jughead with wide eyes. Sweetpea holds a hand out to her and she uses it to gingerly jump down from the table. Jughead raises his eyebrows at how at ease the two seem to be together.

“I thought it was date night,” Veronica says, keeping a hand on Sweetpea’s forearm. She doesn’t step towards him though, just stares at him with wide eyes.

“You know when my date nights are?” Jughead asks, laughing a little. He takes a step towards the group but Veronica steps back into Sweetpea.

“I mean, Betty said she wasn’t free tonight,” Veronica says, shaking her head. He hasn’t seen her in weeks. Not since getting back together with Betty. He’s been telling himself that it hasn’t been on purpose. That she wouldn’t do that to him, not after pushing him back towards Betty. But the way she’s using Sweetpea as a human shield between them says otherwise.

“Well, the Cooper family drama pauses for no man,” Jughead mutters, giving her a look. She bites her lip and nods. “Didn’t know you hung at the Wyrm.”

“She doesn't,” Cheryl says with a sigh. She perches on the edge of the table, crossing her legs and resting her chin in her hand. “We’re trying to pregame.”

“Exactly,” Veronica says, turning to Cheryl a little. She raises her eyebrows and gives Cheryl a look that Jughead can’t decipher. “In fact, shouldn’t we be going?”

Cheryl rolls her eyes and hops off the table, holding a hand out for Toni, “Just give me a minute.”

Veronica opens her mouth to say something but Cheryl isn’t paying attention. She drags Toni into the backroom, raising a single eyebrow at Jughead as she walks by. Jughead just shakes his head and chuckles a little. He’s not sure when Cheryl got so comfortable walking around the Wyrm. Fangs and Sweetpea wiggle their eyebrows at each other before they turn as one towards the open pool table.

“So,” Jughead starts, turning back to Veronica. She’s biting her lip and looking everywhere but at him. “How have you been?”

Veronica gives him a distracted, half-smile, before answering, “Fine.”

“Haven’t seen you around much,” he continues even though it’s pretty clear that she doesn’t want to be talking to him. Jughead never has been good at taking a hint.

“I’ve just been busy. School. Work,” she says with a shrug. She looks towards the door to the backroom but Cheryl and Toni have yet to make their reappearance.

“Work?”

“I’m helping my mother with the accounting on the SoDale project,” Veronica says with a shrug. “Baby steps before taking on a larger role.”

“I didn’t know you wanted to work for Lodge Industries,” Jughead says, tilting his head at her.

Veronica scoffs and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, “I want to _run_ Lodge Industries one day, Jughead. I don’t want to just work there.”

“What happened to being the next Robin Givhan?” Jughead asks. She looks at him then, eyes wide and vulnerable in a way that’s entirely by accident. “Without the Michelle Obama bashing, of course.”

“You remembered that?” Veronica asks, softly. Jughead barely hears her over the noise of the bar. He gives her a weird combination of nod and a shrug that he refuses to be embarrassed by. She licks her lips and stares at him for what feels like an eternity before she turns her face away. She presses what Jughead thinks is a smile into her shoulder and it makes his stomach flip over.

“Betty has missed you,” he blurts and based on how quickly she turns back to him, it was the wrong thing to say. “Archie, too. Core four isn’t complete without you, apparently.”

“Hm,” she replies pursing her lips.

Jughead sighs and steps towards her. She stiffens a little and Jughead tilts his head at her, “What’s up with you?”

“Nothing,” she replies instantly. She shakes her hair out and straightens her stance, giving him a smile that he doesn’t buy for a second. “Just. Tipsy.”

“Right,” he says slowly. “Well, we’ve missed you.” He takes a couple more steps towards her until they’re toe to toe. He’s sure it’s a bad idea but the words slip out of his mouth anyways. “I’ve missed you.”

“Jughead,” she says. There’s a sadness on her face that he doesn’t understand. “Please don’t.”

“I miss my friend,” he continues, softly. He reaches a finger out and gently touches the back of her hand. Her skin is as soft as he remembers and that tiny touch sends a shiver down his spine. “Veronica.”

“I’m sure I can make an appearance at Pop’s,” she says just as softly. She pulls her hand away and gives him another weak smile. “I’m definitely overdue for an inner circle junk food session.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asks, leaning towards her a little more. He feels like he’s being pulled in, like he can’t resist orbiting around her now that they sharing the same space. “Did I. Did I do something?”

She makes a face and presses a hand to his chest, shaking her head, “Absolutely not. Like I said. Tipsy.”

Jughead is moving to cover her hand with his own when Sweetpea steps up, throwing an arm around Veronica’s shoulders. He presses his mouth to the top of Veronica’s head and mutters, “Fangs said you called next, Ronnie.”

“If you’ll excuse me,” she says with a small curtsy. She touches Sweetpea’s jaw as she walks away, lets her fingers trail along his chest before curling into the lapels of his jacket. Jughead watches the motion with a sinking feeling in his stomach. She drags Sweetpea after her, hips swaying. “Need my good luck charm.”

Jughead tries to ignore the way his stomach sours at the sight. He licks his lips and turns at the sound of the backroom door slamming shut. Cheryl and Toni are both puffy lipped and wound around each other as they leave the room. Jughead rolls his eyes and turns back to the pool tables when he hears Veronica's laugh ring out across the bar. She's leaning into Fangs, head thrown back and eyes squeezed shut. Fangs is gripping her elbow and laughing along with her as Sweetpea mutters something into Veronica's ear.

“I think our snakeling prince is pouting,” Cheryl says with far too much glee in her voice as she steps up to Jughead with Toni. Jughead sighs and drops his head before turning to look at the redhead. She rolls her eyes at him. “Save your glares for someone who is _actually_ intimidated by you, please.”

“Babe, you said you’d be nice,” Toni mutters against Cheryl’s neck before pressing her teeth against the long column of pale skin. Jughead rolls his eyes.

“It’s not my fault my gut instinct is to protect my girls from him,” Cheryl replies, a slightly whine in her voice. Toni rolls her eyes and plants a loud, smacking kiss to her cheek before walking away.

“Don’t pretend your stunt had some altruistic purpose,” Jughead mutters. “Pretty sure you were just looking to . . . what is it you like to say? Cause some chaos?”

“In that instance, chaos and protection were one and the same,” Cheryl says with a shrug. She notices that his eyes have drifted over to Veronica and takes a step towards him. She lowers her voice and tilts his face back to her with a single finger. “You broke Betty’s heart. I was trying to stop you from doing the same to Veronica. I refuse to watch your indecision drag another one of my Vixens down.”

“Of course it’s all about the Vixens, right?” Jughead snaps, jerking his chin away from her red nails. She grasps his chin again a little firmer and he glowers at her.

“They happen to be my friends, Jughead Jones,” she replies in the same low voice. She steps into his space and Jughead’s eye jerk around trying to find Toni but she’s gone to join the rest at the pool table. She’s watching from a distance but clearly has no intention of rescuing him.

“I protect my friends.” Jughead scoffs and rolls his eyes. “Either you want Betty or you want Veronica,” Cheryl snaps. “You don’t get both, Jones. So, make up your damn mind and stop making moon eyes at the girl who _isn’t_ your girlfriend.”

Jughead finally jerks his chin away from Cheryl’s hand. He walks past her towards the pool tables. She trails after him, sliding up to Toni’s side and resting her head on the shorter woman’s shoulder. Both of them raise their eyebrows at him which he pointedly ignores.

“Jonesy,” Sweetpea says with a smile that is a little too bright. Jughead wonders how much they’ve been drinking before Sweetpea throws an arm around his shoulders, steering them away from the pool table. “Let me ask you something.”

Jughead looks over his shoulder at Veronica. She’s lining up her next shot with Fangs smack-talking next to her but her eyes flick over to Jughead and Sweetpea. They linger for a long moment, staring into his own eyes, before she laughs at something Fangs says and refocuses on the pool table.

“So, you and Ronnie,” Sweetpea starts.

“Since when is she Ronnie to you?” Jughead mutters, knocking Sweetpea’s arm off of him. Sweetpea smirks a little before crossing his arms and raising his eyebrows at him.

“Like I was saying. You and Ronnie are done, right?” Sweetpea asks. Jughead mimics Sweetpea’s stance and raises his own eyebrows. Sweetpea rolls his eyes and smirks before turning away, “Should have figured. You can’t have her, so none of us can, right?”

“First off, pretty sure, Veronica would smack you for thinking she can’t decide for herself who to be with,” Jughead counts off on his fingers. “Secondly, I’m back with Betty. You know that.”

“Still,” Sweetpea says. He scratches his chin and looks Jughead up and down. “Not trying to step on any toes.”

“Sweets, I know you don’t give a shit about stepping on toes,” Jughead says, shaking his head. “Especially when those toes are mine. So, what is it that you want?”

“Bro code,” Sweetpeas says with a careless shrug.

“We both know that bro code is sexist bullshit,” Jughead mutters.

“Might be sexist bullshit, doesn’t mean that it helps prevent drama,” Sweetpea agrees. He claps Jughead on the shoulder and turns him to face the pool table. Veronica is bent over, lining up another shot. Jughead can’t deny that the sight in front of him is an appealing one. He’s only human, after all.

“Do what you want, Sweetpea,” Jughead mutters, shaking himself out of staring too long at Veronica’s ass.

Sweetpea just raises his eyebrows at him before sauntering over to the table. Jughead watches Sweetpea lean over the table next to Veronica, hand on her lower back. He rubs his thumb back and forth as he whispers into Veronica’s ear. Her shoulders shake with laughter and Sweetpea stands up with a satisfied smile.

“Jones!” Sweetpea shouts. “We’re going clubbing in Centerville. You in?”

“Not really my scene, Sweets,” Jughead says with a sneer. Veronica stands up and leans against the pool cue, hip pressing against Sweetpea. “Didn’t think it was yours, either. Do you even dance?”

“Everyone dances, Jughead,” Veronica says, rolling her eyes. “Besides, I can be very persuasive when I want to be.”

Her lips curl into a cat-like smile that he finds himself mimicking, “Like I said. Not my scene.”

“Your loss,” Cheryl says as she cuts across Sweetpea to pull Veronica under her arm. “Just means more Ronniekins for myself.”

She gives Jughead a pointed look as she drags Veronica towards the door. Jughead sighs and scratches the back of his neck while the other three trail after them. Toni, at least, has the decency to say goodbye to him giving him a kiss on the cheek as she walks by.

It’s nearing three in the morning when he gets the first text.

**Veronica says I miss you too. For the record.**

Jughead stares at his phone for a good ten minutes at a loss for what to even say back. He’s finally getting ready to type something when his phone pings again.

**Veronica says and everyone else of course. But I do miss you.**

Jughead bites his bottom lip. She’s probably drunk. Drunk and out with Sweetpea but texting him.

**Jughead says my presence is a rare delight. I don’t blame you**

**Veronica says ugh. Already regret telling you.**

**Jughead says too late now, Lodge. The truth is out there.**

**Veronica says and yet I’m not feeling set free at all.**

And if they go back and forth like this until Jughead finally passes out with his phone cradled in his hand, well, that’s nobody’s business but their own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the tags did warn of some sweetvee. so. deal with that. lol. thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica manages to compartmentalize it all easily enough. She gets to enjoy a small part of what she lost when she pushed Jughead back towards Betty. She’s not hurting anyone. She’s being friendly with Jughead which is what everyone wants. Or seems to want. As far as Jughead is concerned though, Veronica isn’t sure why he always texts her back. Why his answers always come within seconds of her own.
> 
> For her own sanity, she tries not to think about it too hard.

Veronica is perfectly aware that she is playing a dangerous game with Jughead. Running into him at the Wyrm had been unexpected but she had handled that with as much grace as her broken, drunk heart could manage. The texting though. The texting was becoming a problem. 

She deletes the messages each night, ignoring the intense feeling of guilt that follows such actions. She is half convinced that Jughead does the same. It’s not like they ever mentioned their nighttime conversations outside of the wee hours of the morning. Whatever they talked about, be it books or movies or their increasingly large role in their parent’s enterprises, stayed between them in text until deleted in the cold, judging light of day. 

Veronica manages to compartmentalize it all easily enough. She gets to enjoy a small part of what she lost when she pushed Jughead back towards Betty. She’s not hurting anyone. She’s being friendly with Jughead which is what everyone wants. Or seems to want. As far as Jughead is concerned though, Veronica isn’t sure why he always texts her back. Why his answers always come within seconds of her own. 

For her own sanity, she tries not to think about it too hard.

Slowly but surely, she integrates herself back into milkshakes at Pop’s and movie marathons in the Andrews’ living room. She grits her teeth when Betty melts into Jughead’s side with a blissed out smile, shares a commiserating look with Archie that doesn’t soothe her broken heart the same way Jughead’s eye rolls had. But she’ll take it. It’s better than nothing. At least, she isn’t alone in her misery. 

Veronica is walking home to the Pembrooke after one such afternoon spent sipping milkshakes and throwing fries at the boys when Jughead falls into step next to her. He looks at her out of the corner of his eye and smirks a little. Veronica continues to type away at her phone, ignoring him. She might have started spending more time with him but she’s tried to keep their one-on-one interactions restricted to their late night text conversations. 

“Are you following me, Jughead?” Veronica asks as she tucks her phone into her purse. 

“I happen to have an interview with your mother,” Jughead says, sounding way too smug. She raises her eyebrows at him and he shakes his head. “I’m writing a story for my blog about the SoDale project.” 

“I hope this isn’t another attempt to discredit my parents, Jones,” Veronica says, narrowing her eyes at him. 

“You can’t deny that the SoDale project is nothing more than gentrification at its finest,” Jughead says with a shrug. He gives her a sideways glance. “The story writes itself. You know it does.” 

“How did you get an interview with my mother?” Veronica asks. She stops walking and crosses her arms, looking up at him. He stops as well, stomping his boots while he’s at it. “Everything is supposed to go through the lawyers.”

“She called me,” Jughead says with a shrug. “Pretty sure she’s trying to get in front of the whole eviction notice thing.”  

Veronica stands up a little straighter. Her parents hadn’t discussed anything of that nature with her. She knows the plan. Slowly swallow the Southside. Build it up. Create something better. A closer, better Riverdale. A  _ whole _ Riverdale. Built by the Lodge family. Together. Veronica swallows tries the swallow the lump in her throat as she asks, “Eviction notices?” 

“The people of Sunnyside Trailer Park woke up to eviction notices taped to all of our front doors,” Jughead says. He looks at out of the corner of his eye. If he notices her utter confusion, then he doesn’t say anything.

“Lodge Industries doesn’t own the trailer park,” Veronica says slowly. “Why blame my family?”

“The eviction notices,” Jughead says, pulling a folded piece of paper from his back pocket and handing it to her. “Were printed on Lodge Industries letterhead.”

Veronica reads the notice with shaking hands. He’s right. It is LI letterhead at the top and her father’s signature at the bottom. She shakes her head in disbelief.

“Don’t pretend that you didn’t know,” Jughead says with a scoff when he sees her shake her head. He looks down his nose at her and rolls his eyes.

“I swear,” she starts but he cuts her off before she can finish her thought.

“I know that whatever happened between us didn’t really mean that much to you.”

“Jug -”

“But I thought that at the very least, since we’re supposed to be  _ friends _ , you would have warned me,” Jughead continues. He glares down at her and it has been so long since she’s been on the receiving end of that glare. It cracks something inside of her. 

Veronica opens her mouth prepared to defend herself but her mouth blurts out, “What happened between us meant - it  _ means  _ everything to me.” 

Her voice is barely more than a mangled whisper but he hears every word. She doesn’t give him the chance to say anything before spinning on her heel and walking into the Pembrooke’s lobby. She gives Andre a tight lipped smile as she saunters by, Jughead close on her heels. As soon as the elevator doors close, Jughead hits the emergency stop button and turns to Veronica. 

“Andre monitors the elevator,” Veronica mutters as she reaches around Jughead. He tenses slightly and she looks up at him through her lashes.

“What are you playing at Veronica?” he asks, slamming the stop button again. “You ignore me for weeks. You treat me like nothing happened between us. And fine. I can deal with that. But. The texting? That? What you said out there?” 

“Miss Lodge?” Andre calls through the intercom. “Is everything okay?”

Veronica gives Jughead a look before reaching around to press the intercom button.

“Nothing to worry about, Andre. Jughead just wanted a private word before having to meet with my mother,” Veronica says, hoping that her voice sounds steadier than she’s feeling. “Can you let Mom know that we’re on our way?”

“Of course, Miss Lodge,” Andre replies a second later. Jughead is still glaring at her when she lets go of the button. At least they won’t be interrupted anytime soon. “Please let me know if you need anything.”

The threat is clear and Jughead smirks a little. Veronica tucks her hair behind her ear and tries to ignore the rushing sound in her ears. She licks her lips and says, “I’m not playing at anything. This is all just. It's just a moment of weakness. A prolonged moment of weakness.”

“Weakness?” 

“Yes. Weakness.”

Jughead laughs and shakes his head. He doesn’t believe her. Of course he doesn’t believe her. He looks down at her and it’s so cold, “What weakness could Veronica Lodge ever have?”

“A weakness for you,” she says softly. He groans and covers his face with both hands. “What?”

“Stop playing games with me, Veronica!” he shouts, making her jump a little. 

“I’m not playing games!” she shouts back. She closes her eyes and breathes through her nose, turning her back on him. She feels the elevator jerk when he hits the stop button again. “Is it so hard to believe? That I would have a weakness for you? That  _ you _ mean something to me?”

“Veronica,” Jughead says her name like it’s a curse. 

“I miss you,” she continues. “And I am not 100% a good person so I text you. Because that’s all I can get. And I will take it. Always. But it’s not enough, Jug. It’s never enough.”

“Veronica,” he whispers and he’s right behind her. She turns around and looks up at him. He’s glaring at her with that stormy gaze that always manages to pull her in. “How is it not enough?” 

His voice is low and she feels a shiver go through her. She knows that Andre is watching but she doesn’t care. This wouldn’t be the first time that he’s seen the two of them acting this way in the elevator. She shouldn't say anything. She should just laugh it all off and move on but the words slip past her lips regardless, “I miss your skin.”

He leans towards her a little and Veronica holds a hand up to stop him. He tenses at her touch, holds his breath under her hand. She gathers the fabric of his t-shirt in her fingers, curling them in tight. It drags his collar down just enough for the tip of her finger to touch his skin. 

“Veronica,” he warns.

“I miss the smell of it just behind your ear,” she whispers. She’s surrounded by the smell of his cheap cologne. She slides her hand up his neck, feels his pulse jump under her fingers. “The feel of it under my hands.” 

“Veronica,” he warns, grabbing her fingers and looking down at her. She curls her fingers around his. “I miss yours too.”

She closes her eyes whispering his name. He steps closer, pressing her back into the handrail. He ghosts a hand along her side before pressing his palm to the wall by her head. His voice is a low rumble when he speaks next, “Smooth on your calf.”

He glances down at her. Her heart is pounding in her chest. He steps in closer, leans his head down like he’s going to kiss her and she wouldn’t stop him. She’d pull him in closer, press her entire body to his, remind him what it is that they’ve lost. 

“Rougher over your knee,” he whispers. He presses their foreheads together and she can feel each word brush against her lips. The anticipation swirls in her stomach. “Like silk on the inside of your thigh.”

“Juggie, please,” she says softly. She tries to pull her hand free, wants to reach up and touch his jaw, but he squeezes tight. She reaches back with her free hand and grips the handrail. She tilts her head, rubbing their foreheads together. Her mouth barely brushes against his but it’s enough for him to pull away from her.

“I can’t touch you,” he says. She flexes her hand in his and he smirks, looking down at their linked hands. He lets go slowly like it’s painful. “Not the way I want.”

“I know,” she breathes out. He seems to sag a little, relief and disappointment pouring off of him. “You’re not that guy.”

“And you’re not that girl.”

She thinks of what she was willing to do only a few seconds ago. She thinks of his pulse throbbing beneath her fingers. She thinks of Betty’s green eyes full of tears. She thinks of Jughead running down Pops’ steps after a bouncing, blonde ponytail. 

“I’m trying not to be and Betty is my  _ best  _ friend,” she says but there’s very little conviction in her voice.

“I want to.”

“Please don’t, Jughead,” she whispers, desire buzzing underneath her skin. “I’m not very good at not taking what I want.”

“You didn’t want me Veronica,” he tells her as he pulls back. Veronica opens her mouth to say something as Jughead hits the stop button. The elevator moving again stops her. “You sent me back to Betty, remember?”

Veronica feels her stomach drop. She looks down at her shoes, folding her hands in front of her. She licks her lips. Part of her is furious that he would put this on her. But she thinks of her ice queen act, thinks of how hard she tried to makes sure that Bughead would rise again. What else is he supposed to think? 

“You love Betty,” she ends up muttering. The words sound hollow even to her ears. He snorts. “The whole time you loved Betty.”

“And you loved Archie,” he says slowly like he expects her to contradict him. When she doesn’t say anything, he just nods and looks down at his boots. “Right.”

“I just wanted to make you happy, Juggie,” she says, voice cracking on the nickname. “I thought.”

“What? That Betty is what would do it?” he snaps. 

Veronica opens her mouth to reply but the elevator doors open cutting her off. He gives her a long look before turning on his heel towards the apartment but Veronica reaches forward to grab his sleeve. He half turns to her and Veronica blurts out, “I didn’t know. About the evictions. I swear, I didn’t know.”

Hermione Lodge meets both of them in the hallway with a serene smile. Her eyes glance over Veronica for a second, the slightest flick of her eyes, but Veronica knows that she’s going to have to explain once Jughead is gone. He shakes her grip off of his arm and gives her a small nod before following her mother to the study. Veronica stands in the living room, staring at the closed door for a long minute.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Wait,” Jughead says as they stand up. They both look down at him with raised eyebrows and matching smirks. It’s almost too much for Jughead to handle. “Since when do you two date?”
> 
> “I’m sorry but how is that any of your business?” Veronica asks, narrowing her eyes at him.
> 
> “First date, Jones,” Sweetpea says with a sigh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> more sweetvee because i caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan

He stops texting her. He treats her like that moment in the elevator never happened. Spends time at Pop’s with her where the conversation between them is neutral regardless of if Betty is there or not. He doesn’t run into her at the Wyrm or in the Blue and Gold. It goes back to the way it was in those first few weeks after he’d first gotten back with Betty. And it's fine. He's fine. He swears it.

He writes his article, slamming Lodge Industries and their bullshit offer of waving the eviction notices for what it is: a bribe. It doesn’t stop most of Sunnyside Trailer Park from taking the deal and signing on the dotted line.

“People don’t want to lose their homes, Jug,” FP says one morning after getting home from an overnight shift at Pop’s. Their own offer had come in the mail. The Lodges didn’t even have the decency to make the offer in person. Jughead knows when he’s being insulted. “They’re scared.”

“We can’t just sign everything away!” Jughead snaps. He’s pacing the small kitchen. His dad watches with weary eyes from the kitchen table. “The Lodges are swallowing the Southside up and soon there won’t be any room for the rest of us.”

“Building up the Southside isn’t the end of the world, kid,” FP says with a small shrug. “Lord knows we’ve been needing it.”

“Dad!”

“You’re the one always complaining about the Southside being left behind! Here’s a chance for us to catch up,” FP continues. He leans his elbows on the table and runs his hands through his hair. “I don’t know what to tell you, boy. Maybe this is a blessing.”

“You can’t be serious,” Jughead says as he sits down at the kitchen table. He copies his dad’s stance, pressing his clenched hands to his mouth. “Dad, the last time anyone owned the entire Southside, Clifford Blossom used it to run drugs through the high school.”

“Hiram Lodge isn’t Clifford Blossom, Jughead! You can’t go through life questioning every good thing that happens.”

“What good has Hiram Lodge brought to my life?” Jughead snaps. A traitorous part of him whispers the name of a certain raven-haired princess. He quickly pushes the thought away.

“What bad has he done?” FP asks. He drops a hand to the table with a sigh. He looks tired. Bone tired. “So he’s bought some property. So what? It doesn’t equal drugs.”

“When did you drink the kool-aid?” Jughead asks, narrowing his eyes at FP.

“I sling milkshakes for a living, Jughead,” FP says slowly. “I’m an ex-con. I’m in a gang. A gang that I brought my son into. We don’t have a lot of options.”

“We can fight this,” Jughead insists. “I know we can.”

“I’m tired of fighting, Jug,” FP says slowly. Jughead leans back in his chair finally at a loss for words. “I’ve been fighting since I was sixteen and my old man kicked me out. Hell, I’d been fighting a lot longer than that.”

“What are you saying, Dad?” Jughead asks softly. FP looks at his son for a long minute and Jughead gets it. He gets it.

“I never wanted this life,” FP says with a nod. “For myself. For you. Hell, I wanted to be the first Jones to go to college. The first Jones to get the hell out of Riverdale and never look back. This town, Jug, this town is a sinkhole. You need to get out while you can before it swallows you whole.”

“Dad, this is our home,” Jughead says. His throat feels tight and he coughs to try and clear it. FP rubs at his eyes and gives Jughead another one of those looks that seems to say it all. “We can’t give up on it. _I_ won’t give up on it.”

“You always were a scrapper,” FP says with a small chuckle. “Always swinging your fists until someone pulled you off. Not one of my better qualities that you inherited.”

“I can’t do this without your support, Dad,” Jughead mutters, shaking his head. “I need you on my side.”

“I am always on your side, Jughead,” FP says, leaning forward. He claps a hand onto Jughead’s shoulder, squeezing a little. “Always.” Jughead opens his mouth to say something but FP cuts him off. “But I’m an old man. I don’t have it in me for anymore fights, Jug. It's time, I think, to step down. For real.”

“Dad.”

“I was going to before all that mess with Penny,” FP says, nodding to himself. If Jug didn’t know any better, he would guess that FP has been hitting the bottle again. “But she’s been quiet for a while now and I think you’re ready.”

“What?”

“They’ll vote on it but I’ll put your name in,” FP continues. Jughead’s stomach drops a little. “They’ll need you. You’ll do better than me. Bring them back to what we were when we first started.”

“Dad,” Jughead says, voice cracking on the small word. FP finally looks up at Jughead and gives him a crooked smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. Jughead can’t remember the last time FP’s smile actually made his face light up.

“I love you, Jug,” FP mutters before pushing himself up from his chair. He drops a heavy hand onto Jug’s head, rubbing his hat around his head, before wandering into the backroom.

Jughead stares at their beaten and worn kitchen table. He gnaws on the inside of his cheek and tries to ignore the way his heart is pounding. His dad might have faith in him but that doesn’t mean that he has faith in himself. He looks up at the wall, at the maps and the sticky notes and the pictures. All of his theories, all of his research up there for anyone who walks in to see. The first and the last thing Jughead sees every single day.

Jughead leaves the trailer a ball of irritation and anxiety. He walks to the Wyrm, hands shoved in his pockets and his mind a million miles away.  When he walks in, the bar is packed. He has to fight just to get to the bar. Toni doesn’t even ask him what he wants, just slides him a whiskey on the rocks before taking someone else’s order.

Jughead weaves back through the crowd until he sees a familiar face in the crowd. He sits down at the table with Sweetpea, kicking at the other Serpent’s chair in the process. He sips at his whiskey while Sweetpea tries to sop up the beer that had sloshed onto his pants.

“Nice, Jones,” Sweetpea grumbles. He looks at Jughead for a second. “You look like hell.”

“You sign the waiver for your trailer?” Jughead asks, ignoring what he knows is a casual observation but sounds like an insult coming from him.

“You would be against rent-free living,” Sweetpea says, rolling his eyes. “Some of us didn’t inherit our trailer, Jones. This is the only option that we’ve got.”

“Right,” Jughead mutters. He rubs his hands over his face and groans a little.

“Look, I know you’re on one of your social justice crusades,” Sweetpea says, clapping a hand on Jughead’s shoulder. “But I’m kind of on a date, right now.”

Jughead raises his eyebrows at Sweetpea and smirks a little. He sips his whiskey again, clenching his jaw at the burn as it goes down, “And what lucky person gets to entertain you tonight, Sweetpea? I hope their intentions are pure.”

“Pure as the freshly driven snow,” Veronica says as she sits down on Sweetpea’s knee. She laughs at the shock on Jughead’s face before turning to Sweetpea. “You ready for that movie, big guy?”

“Wait,” Jughead says as they stand up. They both look down at him with raised eyebrows and matching smirks. It’s almost too much for Jughead to handle. “Since when do you two date?”

“I’m sorry but how is that any of your business?” Veronica asks, narrowing her eyes at him.

“First date, Jones,” Sweetpea says with a sigh. He looks between Veronica and Jughead before rolling his eyes. He kisses Veronica on her temple and mutters something about his bike before walking away.

“Nice, Jughead,” Veronica snaps. “Real nice.”

“Since when do you date Serpents?” Jughead snaps back, standing up. Veronica rolls her eyes and starts walking towards the front door. Jughead follows her, grabbing her arm and dragging her to the backroom before she can make it out of the bar.

“What the hell are you doing?” Veronica asks him. He stands in front of the door and crosses his arms. “Dammit, Jughead, don’t do this.”

“Do what?”

She waves a hand at him and huffs, “This male posturing bullshit. I get enough of that at home from my father I don’t need it from you too.”

“Just tell me why him?” Jughead asks, stepping forward.

“Does it matter? It’s one date,” Veronica says softly.

“With Sweetpea!” Jughead snaps. Veronica rolls her eyes. “Is this to get back at me?”

“Excuse me?”

“Is this some bullshit attempt to get back me for choosing Betty?”

Veronica’s face goes cold. Colder than he’s ever seen it directed at him. She closes the distance between them in three long strides and bares her teeth at him as she hisses, “Fuck you.”

He says her name but she just gives him a disgusted look. She moves to go around him but he reaches out to grab her upper arm. She looks down at his hand and he quickly lets go.

“Don’t go,” he says as she reaches for the doorknob. He knows it’s the wrong thing to say but he can’t stop the words from coming out. “Don’t go out with him.”

She laughs and shakes her head, “You are unbelievable.”

“Please, Veronica,” he says through clenched teeth. She tosses her hair over her shoulder, wafting her perfume over him, and turns to him.

“Why shouldn’t I?”

He swallows the lump in his throat, “You know why.”

“Like I said,” she says with a bitter smile. “Unbelievable.”

“I can’t,” he starts.

He doesn’t have an ending for that sentence. He just. He can’t. The thought of Sweetpea and Veronica had crossed his mind already. Crossed and firmly ignored. But to have it in front of him is an emotional gut punch that he is not prepared for.

“You. Can’t?” she mocks before scowling. She shoves at his chest. “You can’t? What? What can’t you?”

“Veronica-”

“Because I can tolerate a lot apparently,” she says, voice getting louder. “Like watching you and Betty everyday. Getting to hear second hand all about your amazing, renewed sex life with Betty from Kevin of all people. Having to be Betty’s _best friend_ feeling the way that I feel. Falling for _another_ boy who loves Betty Cooper instead of me.”

She laughs and Jughead can see the tears forming in her eyes. She wipes at them angrily and scoffs at herself. She doesn’t even realize what it is that she said but all Jughead can hear is that last sentence. He licks his lips and takes a step forward, “You fell for me?”

“God,” she groans, pressing her hands to her eyes. She lets out a loud breath before looking at Jughead. “I am not doing this. I am not living out a FRIENDS moment, okay?”

She goes to leave the room again but Jughead reaches for her hand, barely grabbing her fingers. It’s enough to stop her.

“I can’t stand the thought of someone else touching you,” he whispers, lacing their fingers together. He gently tugs her back to him. She keeps her back to him and he presses against her.

“That’s not fair,” she whispers back. He lifts a hand and pulls her hair away from her neck, bends down to brush his mouth against her skin. “I want to be touched. I _need_ to be touched, Jughead.”

He reaches up to tilts her chin toward him, kisses her gently on the lips. He knows that he shouldn’t. He thinks of Betty. Thinks of Sweetpea. Thinks of all the other reasons why kissing Veronica Lodge is a bad idea. Each one turns to dust the second she kisses him back, turning around and throwing her arms around his neck.

He backs her up until she’s pressed against the wall. He cradles the back of her head in his palm and wraps an arm around her waist to lift her up a little. She moans into his mouth and grabs his head with both hands. She runs her tongue along the seam of his mouth, opening him up to her. He groans and squeezes her tighter, slipping a hand down to clutch at her ass. She pulls away first, gasping for air but he can’t get enough of her skin. He kisses down her jaw and nips at spot just behind her ear.  

“Juggie, please” she begs, arching her neck to give him better access. He pulls back and looks down at her. Her lipstick is smeared and her eyes are blown wide with want. She licks her lips and runs her thumb along his jaw. “Juggie, I -”

Her ringtone going off cuts short whatever it was she was going to say. She blinks and whatever had just been in her eyes gets shuttered away. She pushes Jughead away and pulls her phone from the purse that’s hanging by her hip.

“Hey, big guy,” she answers, voice sultry in a way that makes Jughead reach for her hip again. She bats at his hand and turns away from him slightly. “Yeah, I’m just having a word with Jughead. I’ll be out in a second.”

As soon as she hangs up the call, Jughead is crowding into her space again, hands on her hips, “Don’t go out with him.”

“Don’t,” she snaps, batting his hands away from her. “You don’t get to make me that girl, Jughead Jones. So. Just don’t.”

She doesn’t say anything else to him before storming out and slamming the door behind her.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica drags her leg up over his hip, savoring the feeling of his rough jeans against her thighs. He smirks against her mouth and presses her leg back down, palm hot on her knee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really hope no one minds the quick updates? i just had the thought that someone might and just. sorry? 
> 
> also. the tags really did warn y'all about the sweetvee. ;)

Veronica drags her leg up over his hip, savoring the feeling of his rough jeans against her thighs. He smirks against her mouth and presses her leg back down, palm hot on her knee. Veronica groans and drops her hands down to the bed, “Sweets, you are killing me.”

“Not everyone likes being used, Princess,” Sweetpea replies easily enough as he kisses down her neck. “Even if it is to piss off Jones.”

“What is with you and Jughead?” she asks as he kisses down the valley of her chest. She runs her fingers through his thick hair and sighs when he runs the tip of his tongue over her right breast. 

“He’s just so easy,” Sweetpea mutters against her skin. She tilts her head down to look at him, tugging on his hair so that he looks at him. “He gets riled up by the smallest thing. Doesn’t listen to people who actually know. Too damn stoned on his own moral superiority to actually shut up and listen.”

“But you follow him anyways,” Veronica points out. 

Sweetpea rolls his eyes and nods, “I can not like him as a person but still see him as a decent gang leader. I have layers, Veronica.”

“Like an onion,” she says with a tight lipped smile. He smirks at her before blowing a raspberry into the side of her breast. Veronica squeals and yanks on his hair, pulling his head back. He looks at her with a satisfied smile, tongue running over his teeth. Veronica shifts her legs a little, rubbing herself against him. “Are we really going to talk about Jughead, right now?”

He pins her hips to the bed with both hands and goes back to kissing along her bra. She sighs and buries her fingers into his hair again. He bites her nipple through the lace and she gasps a little, sliding her leg up and over his hips again. He lets her this time, lifting his hips so that he can grind against her. She lets out a slight whimper and he smirks at her. She rolls her eyes and presses her hips up against his, feeling his length through his jeans. 

“Two can play games,” Veronica mutters when he clenches his jaw and presses her hips back down into the mattress. 

“Don’t think I didn’t notice you changing the subject,” he says and he kneels back and spreads her legs wide. He runs a finger along the damp fabric covering her. She bites her bottom lip to keep herself from making a sound. He raises an eyebrow at her and slides his finger under the fabric, repeating the motion. “I get the whole fuck someone else to get over someone thing.”

“Are you trying to get over someone, Sweetpea?” Veronica asks in a breathy voice. She’s getting increasingly wet and Sweetpea doesn’t seem like he’s in any rush. 

“We both know I’m not,” he says with a small laugh. Veronica rolls her eyes and nods. They’d talked about this. About how he’s aro. How he doesn’t feel that way about anyone. It’s the only reason that this thing between them has lasted so long. He finally pushes a finger inside of her and bites his lip when she clenches around him. “I just don’t remember when Veronica Lodge became such a chicken shit.”

“Excuse me?”

He slides her underwear off of her and takes the time to unbuckle his pants and put on a condom. She watches him with a raised eyebrow but Veronica can’t deny that she still wants him, is still aching to feel him inside her. He teases her entrance and leans down to kiss her as he slides into her. Veronica hisses a little at the intrusion but lifts her legs all the same, pushing his pants down with her feet. 

“I remember the Veronica Lodge who yelled at a bunch of Serpents at a drive-in movie,” Sweetpea mutters as he grinds into her. Veronica whimpers a little as he squeezes her hips and starts thrusting into her in short jabs. “What was it you threatened? Something about snakes and very expensive heels?”

“You were there?” she hisses when he shifts and hits the perfect spot. Her mouth falls open and she reaches a hand down to squeeze his ass. “Right there.”

“Fuck,” he groans before increasing the pace of his thrusts. They’re silent for a few seconds while Sweetpea brings her to orgasm. He lowers himself so that he can kiss her, cupping her jaw. It’s almost tender and Veronica finds herself melting into it. “You’re going to drain me dry, princess.”

“But what a way to go, right?” she mutters with a smirk of her own. He shakes his head and starts to thrust into her again, puts a hand between them so that he can rub her clit. 

“I can think of worse ways,” he replies through clenched teeth. 

His mouth falls open a little as a he grinds up into her. Veronica moans loudly and clenches around him again as another orgasm starts to wash through her. Sweetpea follows after her quickly, throwing his head back on a loud groan. He cleans up and drops down onto the small bed next to her, draping an arm over her waist. Veronica covers her eyes with an arm and tries to catch her breath. 

“You need to talk to Jughead,” Sweetpea says. Veronica huffs out a laugh and shakes her head. “I get you wanting to get over him but I see the way he looks at you, Ronnie.”

“What good does that do me when he’s with Betty? When he wants Betty?” Veronica replies softly.

“Like I said,” he replies, pulling her arm away from her face. He leans over her, cupping her jaw. “I don’t remember you being so chicken shit.”

“What am I supposed to do?” she asks, leaning into his palm. 

“Maybe put yourself out there?” he replies raising an eyebrow. “Bring back that Lodge fire that pissed me off so damn much when we first met.”

“Why the hell are you advising me to go back to Jughead?” Veronica asks, narrowing her eyes. “We, literally, just had sex.”

Sweetpea laughs and gets up from the bed. He walks around naked and Veronica takes the moment to admire his ass. He pulls his phone from his pants and frowns at it. He takes a moment to read through his messages and Veronica watches the color drain from her face. She sits up and looks around for her underwear asking, “Sweets?”

“I gotta go,” he replies shortly as he pulls his pants back on. He tosses Veronica her underwear and skirt before pulling his shirt over his head. He leans over the bed and pulls her into a kiss, fingers tangling in her sex-mussed hair. “You know where the key is to lock up, yeah?”

“Everything okay?” Veronica asks with a frown. “You looked like you were going to be sick.”

“Don’t go caring about me now, Veronica,” Sweetpea says. “This is one Serpent heart you aren’t going to be able to capture.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Veronica asks as she stands up to pull her skirt on. She laments Sweetpea’s lack of a mirror in his trailer again as she tries to smooth out any wrinkles. “Doesn’t mean I don’t care. You know. As a friend.”

“Oh, well, as a friend, don’t worry about it, Ronnie,” he says as he shrugs his jacket on. “Serpent business.”

She nods and pulls her blouse over her head. Sweetpea is standing in front of her once she’s done, cupping her face and kissing her again. She smiles against her mouth and gently holds his wrists. She likes this thing she has going with Sweetpea. It’s easy. They don’t demand anything from each other, they just are. He pulls away with a reluctant smirk. 

His phone starts ringing and he rolls his eyes before answering, “Yeah, Toni, I’m on my way. Relax.”

Veronica shoos him away while she searches for her heels. He kisses the top of her head and leaves with the phone still to his ear. Veronica runs her fingers through her hair and wipes at her lips with a thumb. 

She calls a car and fixes her makeup in her compact while she waits. It’s only been a few minutes before there’s a knock on the door of the trailer. Veronica looks down at her phone and frowns. She peeks through the window and is shocked to see a very familiar blonde ponytail. 

“Betty?” Veronica asks when she opens the door. Betty turns to Veronica with big, wet eyes. “Oh my god. Betty, are you alright?” 

She pulls Betty into a quick hug, cupping the back of Betty’s head. Betty wraps her arms around Veronica and presses her face into Veronica’s shoulder. She lets out a loud sob that goes straight through Veronica’s heart. 

“Oh my god, Betty, what happened?”

“Jughead,” Betty croaks and Veronica’s stomach plummets. If he told her about their kiss. If that caused breakup. But, surely, Betty wouldn’t seek her out for comfort if that were the case. “It’s over. Again.”

“Oh, Betty,” Veronica says. The ache she feels for her friend is very much real but she thinks of Jughead. Hopes that he’s okay. That he has someone to lean on right now. “I’m so sorry. Here. Sit. How did you know I was here?”

“I ran into Sweetpea while walking from the Wyrm. My car is at Jug’s trailer,” Betty mumbles bitterly. Veronica digs in Sweetpea’s kitchen until she finds some napkins and hands them to Betty. She sits on the couch next to Betty and pulls the girl into her side. 

“Tell me what happened,” Veronica says softly. She pets Betty’s head and leans them back into the cushions of the couch. Betty sniff loudly and sighs into Veronica’s embrace. 

“Jughead told me what happened with you two,” Betty says softly. Veronica stiffens and goes to pull away from Betty but the blonde just wraps her arms around Veronica’s waist, holding her close. “And I didn’t care.” She lets out a wet laugh. “How messed up is that? I  _ ruined _ my relationship with Archie over Jughead and I don’t even  _ care _ that he kissed you.”

“Betty.”

“I don’t think I’m in love with him anymore,” Betty mutters before bursting into tears. “And I don’t think he’s in love with me either. We were both just clinging so hard to what we used to have. When it was just us investigating Jason Blossom.”

“It's hard letting go of that first love,” Veronica says softly. She bites her bottom lip and lowers her voice. “You swear that you don’t care about the kiss?”

“We weren’t even fighting about that,” Betty says, shaking her head. “It just kind of came out. I know he said it to hurt me but. It didn’t.”

She crumbles into another bout of tears that makes Veronica sigh. She hands Betty another napkin and waits for her calm down again. She blots her eyes with the napkin before sniffing loudly. 

“I didn’t know that you and Sweetpea were a thing,” Betty mumbles. 

“I wouldn’t call it a thing,” Veronica says with a shrug. “Sweetpea doesn’t do feelings. His words. Not mine.”

“And you? Are you doing feelings?” 

“Not this time around,” Veronica mutters with a bitter smirk. She doesn’t care about keeping how she feels about Jughead a secret. Not anymore. Not if Betty is here, crying over how little she actually loves Jughead Jones. Betty doesn’t say anything, just blinks at Veronica. Her green eyes are wide with understanding and Veronica loves her a little more for not saying anything. “What were you fighting about?”

“Penny Peabody is back,” Betty says through clenched teeth. “He didn’t tell me. I just happened to be in the White Wyrm when she showed up screaming about Jughead breaking the laws.”

“I thought Jughead had gotten rid of her.”

“So did I,” Betty says. “He never told me. What is was that he did to Penny to make her stay away. I got to see it first hand tonight though.”

Veronica’s phone vibrates in her pocket. Its her car. She send a quick text to her driver. She’s not going to interrupt Betty. Not now. But she does tell him to keep the engine running. They’re going to need copious amounts of wine to deal with everything that’s happened tonight. 

“He cut off her tattoo, Veronica,” Betty says slowly. “He said she didn’t deserve to be a member anymore. That they didn’t need a snake charmer and he sliced her tattoo right off of her arm.”

“Jesus.”

“I couldn’t believe it, Ronnie,” Betty says, shaking her head. “I just couldn’t believe it. I knew that Jughead cared about the Serpents. They’re like a second family to him. But this. I know this is not what Jug signed up for.”

“Isn’t it though?” Veronica asks softly. Betty looks at Veronica for a long minute. They both remember what Jughead looked like after the gauntlet. They both remember the Serpents giving Jason Blossom drugs. They both remember the Serpents trashing the drive-in. 

“Well, it’s not what I signed up for,” Betty replies softly. She rubs at her red, puffy eyes and sighs. “I can’t be around that, Veronica. With how crazy my homelife is. I just don’t have it in me.”

“And that means giving up Jughead?” 

“And that means giving up Jughead,” Betty agrees with a somber nod.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Jughead can hear though are his father’s words, ringing in his head, “It won’t be the Northside. Or Hiram Lodge. Or the Ghoulies who are going to be the death of the Serpents. It’s going to be you. You’re going to run us into the ground, boy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> took a day off for thanksgiving. hope all of you who celebrate had a great day with lots of food and love.

Jughead is suspended from the Serpents, pending a vote to see whether or not he should even be allowed to stay. Even if there are some Serpents who agree with him, who are glad that they’ve broken ties with the Snake Charmer. Who are sick of dealing her drugs and staying in her pocket. But the laws are the laws. And Jughead broke a major one.

All Jughead can hear though are his father’s words, ringing in his head, “It won’t be the Northside. Or Hiram Lodge. Or the Ghoulies who are going to be the death of the Serpents. It’s going to be you. You’re going to run us into the ground, boy.”

Jughead clenches his jaw and shoves his hands into his jacket pockets. He’s walking towards the Pembrooke simply because he doesn’t know where to go. None of the Serpents will speak to him. Not while debating his fate. Betty is still keeping her distance and he knows that Archie is comforting her. It doesn’t bother him nearly as much as he thought it would. All that’s left is Veronica. If he’s being honest with himself, all he wants is Veronica. 

Andre glares at him as he walks through the lobby to the elevator. He’s wearing his Serpent jacket but the bodyguard knows him at this point. Besides, he’s sure that he’ll be calling up to the penthouse to warn Veronica of his arrival. He rides the elevator with closed eyes and tries to calm himself. He doesn’t need to be a total wreck when he shows up at her door. 

She’s waiting in the hallway for him when the doors open. Her face is soft and quiet and she must know almost everything. He cross the hall to her, pulling her into his arms and pressing his cheek to the top of her head. She wraps her arms around his waist and sighs into his chest. 

“I’m sorry about Betty,” she murmurs softly. He doesn’t pull away from her, just pulls her in closer. He inhales her perfume and sighs a little into her hair. “She came by while I was at Sweetpea’s. Told me what happened.”

“Did she tell you everything?” he asks, knowing what the answer is. 

“About Penny? She told me what she knew. About what happened that night,” Veronica says. She doesn’t say anything else. Doesn’t pass judgement, just holds him tighter. “What happened after Betty left?”

“Can we not do this in the hallway?” he asks with a tired sigh. 

“My parents are home,” she replies. 

Jughead finally pulls away from her and cups her jaw. He rubs his thumb over her cheek. He tilts his head so that he can look her on the eyes, “I don’t give a shit.” 

She laughs a little and closes her eyes. But she agrees and laces her fingers together to pull him into the penthouse. Neither of her parents are in the living room so Veronica just drags him to her bedroom. 

Once the door is closed, Veronica reaches up to cup his jaw and kisses him softly. Jughead kisses her back, soft and slow and sweet. When she starts to put more passion into the kiss, fingers clumsy at his belt buckle, Jughead pulls away, “What are you doing?” 

Veronica frowns, “Isn’t this what you came here for?” 

“God, no,” he says, rolling his eyes. 

“Jughead, you just broke up with Betty,” Veronica says slowly, cupping his jaw and guiding him back down to kiss her again. He’s weak as hell because he gives in without any fight. “You’re going through some major turmoil with the Serpents. It’s okay.” 

She leans up to kiss him again but he stops her. 

“I love you, Veronica,” Jughead blurts. Her eyes widen and his throat instantly closes up. He powers through. “I am here  _ because  _ I love you. Not because of Betty. Not because of the Serpents. You.” 

“Jughead,” she mumbles before reaching up to kiss him again. He lets her this time. Lets her push his jacket from his shoulders. Lets her walk him backwards until he’s sitting at the edge of her large bed. 

She kneels down in front of him and Jughead’s mouth falls open a little. He watches her undo his belt, watches her pull him free from the denim confines. He’s half hard already when she starts to put open mouthed kisses along his length. 

“Fuck, Veronica,” he murmurs, hand going to pull her hair back from her face. He wants to be able to see everything. 

She licks a stripe up his cock along the throbbing vein before wrapping her lips around the head. His eyes fall closed against his will and his head tips back as she takes more of him into her mouth. It takes all of his willpower not to thrust up into her throat. She bobs her mouth up and down, humming a little as she works him over. Eventually, it gets to be too much. Jughead thrusts up once, groaning a little, before pushing her off of him. He cups her face and pulls her up to kiss him. 

“You’re going to make me come,” he murmurs against her lips. 

“Isn’t that the whole point?” she replies, wrapping her fingers around him. He hisses a little when she tugs once, twice, before clambering into his lap. She slips her underwear to the side and sinks down onto him, the skirt of her dress flared out around her. “Say it again.”

“I love you,” he replies instantly. She shivers in his lap and clenches around him before lifting herself up. She slowly sinks back down and Jughead curls his hands into fists at his side. He tries to keep himself in check, tries to let Veronica set the pace, but he’s aching to pound up into her. 

“Again.”

“I love you.”

She whimpers and begins to ride him in earnest, leaning down to capture his mouth with hers. He cups the back of her head and meets each of her thrusts with slight jerks of his hips, determined not to slip out of her at all. He slides his hands up her thighs feeling the muscles clench and relax under her skin. Her fingers are curled into his hair, hat long gone, and she’s biting at his lips. The pace that she sets is brutal and punishing and everything that he’s been missing since he was last with her. She slides down one last time, grinding down onto him, and pulls away from his mouth to mumble, “Say it again. Please, Juggie.”

“I love you, Veronica Lodge,” he replies instantly. She bites her bottom lip and scrunches her face up. Jughead can feel her clenching and unclenching around him. He reaches his hand down to circle her clit, presses his mouth to her neck at the spot that always makes her cry out. “I love you so much.”

She pulls his face back to hers and kisses him deeply as they come together.  She sags in his arms, pressing her forehead to his. Her hands are still cupping his jaw and she keeps planting small kisses on his lips. Jughead lays back, pulling her along with him. He slips out of her with a small wince that Veronica kisses away.  They curl into each other then, Veronica’s head on his chest and her hips still over his. 

“You think your parents heard anything?” Jughead asks after a moment.

“I really do not care right now,” she mutters with a chuckle. She rests her chin on his chest and looks up at him with a raised eyebrow. “Please don’t bring up my parents in our post-coital moment.”

“How is it possible that you can say things like ‘post-coital’ and still be so sexy to me?” Jughead replies, smirking a little. She blushes and he can’t help but pull her up for a kiss. She rolls off of him, laying on her back next to him. He instantly misses her warmth. 

“It's not easy for me,” Veronica says slowly. Jughead turns his head to look at her. She’s staring up at the ceiling, eyes far away. “To say it. It’s not something. It’s not something that gets thrown about the Lodge household. It was always  _ I’m proud of you mija _ or my father’s pet names for my mother.  _ Mi amore. Mi vida. _ ”

“You don’t have to,” Jughead says. He reaches down and laces their fingers together. Veronica turns to him with wide, wet eyes. “I’m not going anywhere.”

She sits up and leans over him, eyes scanning over his face. She traces his nose and gently touches the spot between his eyebrows. She licks her lips and says softly, “I do, though. Even if I can’t say it. Not yet, at least. I really, really do, Jughead Jones.”

He leans up to capture her mouth again. She smiles against his mouth before pulling away again. She gives him her business-glare and Jughead feels his heart skip a beat. 

“What happened with Penny Peabody?” 

Jughead sighs and recounts the whole story. From contacting her while his dad was in prison. The drop off with Archie. His dad's retirement party. The night he sliced her tattoo off. He pauses at that part. Gives her the opportunity to be horrified or disgusted. She just waves her hand at him to continue and he falls in love with her a little more. 

“She’s visited the trailer first,” Jughead says. He closes his eyes as he relives that afternoon. His father’s look of utter betrayal. “To petition the king directly to strip me of my jacket. He told her to beat it. After my dad kicked her out, Penny went to the Wyrm and started yelling about how I cut her tattoo off.” He lets out a bitter laugh that makes Veronica flinch. “I don’t know why I thought she wouldn’t come back. Southsiders tend to hold a grudge.” 

“So, she went to the people,” Veronica nods. “What’s a king to a mob?” 

“Jesus,” Jughead says, rolling his eyes. “They suspended me. I pleaded my case. Penny pleaded hers. Now it’s up to the gang. They’re going to hold a vote.”

“So, you lose your jacket,” Veronica says. “So what? You won’t lose your friends or your dad. It’s just a piece of clothing.” 

“This coming from you,” he scoffs. She smiles at him softly and he feels his face begin to drop. “She wants my tattoo.” 

“What?”

“I think the words she said were  _ butcher you like a pig _ ,” Jughead says. 

Veronica sits up straight and looks away from him. He sits up as well, notices that his pants are still open and a mess. He takes a moment to tuck himself back into his pants and button them back up. When he’s done, Veronica is off the bed and at her desk. 

“What are you doing?”

“There’s something that I need to show you,” she says as she combs her hair behind her ears. She has her glasses on and is scrolling through her laptop. “There is only one major warehouse in Greendale and it just so happens that Lodge Industries or a subsidiary of Lodge Industries owns it.” 

“How do you know that?” Jughead asks as he leans over her shoulder to read through the invoice that she’s looking at. 

“I do the accounts payable,” Veronica says with a shrug. “I pay the utilities on the building.”

“So Lodge Industries owns the building that Penny Peabody stores her jingle jangle?” Jughead asks, standing up straight. He crosses his arms and frowns down at the laptop. 

“We can only assume she’s the one supplying the Ghoulies,” Veronica says. Her back is ramrod straight and her hands are clenching the arms of the chair. “My father. Is a drug kingpin.” 

“Hey,” Jughead says, spinning her chair around. Her eyes are filling with tears and she looks utterly lost. He cups her jaw and makes her look him in the eye. “Stay with me, Ronnie. Come on. I need you with me.” 

She blinks a couple of times and clears her throat before nodding, “What do we do?”

“I,” Jughead says shaking his head. “I have no fucking clue.” 

Veronica closes her eyes and lets out a weak chuckle. She sniffs loudly and wipes at her eyes before looking at him again. She cups his cheek, “And us? What do we do about us?” 

“I want to be with you, Ronnie,” Jughead mutters, covering her hand. 

“You just broke up with Betty,” Veronica says. “Like. Today.”

“Trust me, I am well aware,” Jughead mutters. He shakes his head. “But. What I had with Betty. It was never. Right. The second time around, I mean. She even admitted it.”

“That doesn’t mean that this won’t be rubbing salt in an open wound,” Veronica says softly. She pulls her hand away and curls it into a fist in her lap. Jughead tries to swallow the lump that’s forming in his throat but he can’t. 

“Veronica,” he croaks but she shakes her head. “Don’t.”

“It would be wrong, Jughead,” Veronica says softly. She licks her lips and lets out a shaky breath. “I promised myself that I would be better in college. That I wouldn’t be the same girl I was in high school.”

“And you aren’t,” Jughead says, reaching for her hands. She jerks them back and pushes herself out of the chair. Jughead falls back on his ass, trying to get out of her way. She puts her hands on her lower back and begins to pace the bedroom. 

“Aren’t I though?” 

“What?” Jughead asks. “No. Not at all.”

“I started an affair with you to get back at Archie and Betty. I started texting you late at night while you were dating my best friend. I kissed you while you were in a relationship and that played a role in your breakup,” Veronica lists off. She drops her hands and looks at him through tear-filled eyes. “And now here I am. We just had sex not even twenty four hours after you’ve broken up with my best friend! I was comforting her not even two hours ago. How am I not the same mean-girl I was in high school?”

Jughead struggles to stand up and rushes over to her. He cups her face in both hands and wipes the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. He leans down so he can look her in the eyes when he says, “I love you, Veronica Cecilia Lodge, and I can say without a single doubt in my mind. You are not a bad person. You are so full of warmth and strength and love. You are. You should never doubt that about yourself.”

She leans forward to kiss him, hands burying themselves in his hair. Jughead steps into her space even further and wraps his arms around her waist. She lifts up on her toes and Jughead slides his hands down to her ass, lifting her up even further. She hops a little wrapping her legs around his waist. He holds her up and slowly walks her to the bed - he has time to make up for.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They’ve been going through invoices for days trying to find anything that looks out of the ordinary. It’s almost turning into a fruitless exercise. They haven’t found anything other than the warehouse which is circumstantial at best.
> 
> Add to that Jughead still being on probation with the Serpents and it feels like they aren’t accomplishing much of anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ugh. plottiness. its happening.

They talk. For hours. About everything. They talk about their exes. About the Serpents. About her family. Her parents. All of it. By the end of their conversation, there are no more secrets between them. It’s the lightest that Veronica has felt since starting college, since fully understanding what it was her family did. As far as them and what they are, she asks for time. Jughead gives it to her without question. Her heart hates it. Hates that she is turning down the chance that she’s been aching for. But Veronica knows that it’s the right thing to do. 

They do work together though untangling the mess that is Lodge Industries rental spaces. Since the Sugarman’s arrest earlier that year, the supply of jingle jangle into the schools has barely stopped. They have a new chemist. They have to. 

“If we can figure out who that is then we’ll have actual evidence, actually leverage, against Penny and the Ghoulies,” Jughead says one night as they go through that months stack of invoices at Pop’s. 

Veronica yawns and nods before sipping her coffee again. She rubs at her eyes and blinks. She needs to take her contacts out. 

“Hey,” Jughead says softly, leaning forward. He’s giving her those soft eyes that seem to make her heart melt. “Why don’t you head home? It’s late.” 

“I’m fine,” she replies softly. They always talk so softly when it’s not business. “Honestly. I just need to take my contacts out.” 

“Sure,” he says, staring at her for a moment longer.  She tries not to fidget under his appraising look but it’s hard. He smirks a little, leans forward just a touch more. He lowers his eyelids, lowers his voice. “Let me take you home, Ronnie.” 

“You know my answer, Jughead,” Veronica says with a slight huff. Jughead rolls his eyes and goes back to the paperwork in front of him. Veronica sighs and reads through the subcontract agreement in front of her. “There’s no way that the new chemist is being paid directly by Lodge Industries.” 

“I don’t know how else to find out who they could be,” Jughead says with a sigh. 

“Maybe we need another route?” Veronica says with a sigh. She rubs her eyes again. “I’m literally going blind. I’ll be right back.” 

She grabs her purse and heads to the bathroom to change her contacts. They’ve been going through invoices for days trying to find anything that looks out of the ordinary. It’s almost turning into a fruitless exercise. They haven’t found anything other than the warehouse which is circumstantial at best. 

Add to that Jughead still being on probation with the Serpents and it feels like they aren’t accomplishing much of anything. 

When she comes back to the table there’s a fresh plate of fries and a new pot of coffee. At least Jughead doesn’t seem ready to accept defeat. She slides into the booth and steals a fry. Resting her elbows on the table, she observes Jughead. 

He hasn’t been sleeping. She can see that much. She doesn’t think there is anything that could stop Jughead from eating but she’s pretty positive that his diet hasn’t gone anywhere beyond coffee and diner food. 

“What?” he snaps after a minute of so. He drops his hands on the table and looks at her through his eyelashes. “You’ve been staring for five minutes.” 

“What’s the end goal?” Veronica asks before sipping from her coffee. Jughead shakes his head and goes back to reading. “I’m serious. You’re burning the candle at both ends for what? Are we giving this to Keller? Are we handling it ourselves?” 

“I haven’t thought about it,” Jughead mutters. Veronica scoffs and raises an eyebrow. “What?”

“You honestly expect me to believe that you haven’t thought about it?” Veronica asks. “I know you and there is no way your anxiety hasn’t gone through every possible scenario.” 

“Keller is the smartest option,” Jughead says after a moment. “Let the law take care of it.”

“But?”

“But that’s not the Serpent way,” Jughead says slowly. He rubs a hand over his face and leans back in the booth. He takes his hat off and runs his fingers through his hair. “I go to the cops and I can kiss my membership goodbye.”

“So, what’s the other option?” Veronica asks without hesitation. Jughead actually looks surprised. Veronica just rolls her eyes. “Riverdale PD doesn’t exactly have a stellar track record when it comes to actually solving any crime problems.”

“The other option is the Serpents take the Ghoulies out. We strip Penny of her army, properly banish her,” Jughead says, nodding a little. Veronica feels her stomach drop. 

“That doesn’t sound like a better option, Jug. That sounds like a gang war.”

The look Jughead gives her chills her to the bone. Veronica nods and flattens her hands onto the tabletop. Her eyes scan over the piles of papers but her mind is a million miles away. She can’t see a gang war breaking out in the streets of Riverdale solving anything. She can only imagine it would make things worse. 

“I don’t want you putting yourself in danger, Jughead,” Veronica says slowly. She looks back up at him. “And that’s what a gang war is. Danger. Lots and lots of it.”

“I wouldn’t be on my own,” Jughead says with a slight shrug. “I made it through the gauntlet. I can handle my own.”

“I remember your face after the gauntlet,” Veronica reminds him. “And we’re not talking about the Serpents initiating you. We are talking about a rival gang who has very real motive to  _ kill  _ you.”

“Veronica.”

“Jughead.”

They glare at each other until finally Jughead gives in and rolls his eyes, “Fine. We find another option.”

“There is always blackmail,” Veronica says. She points at the papers that they’ve put to the side for having potential. “We blackmail my father into getting the Ghoulies and Penny out of Riverdale.”

“We don’t have any proof that they’re connected,” Jughead says, shaking his head. “There’s nothing to guarantee that it’ll keep them out.”

“What choice do we have?” Veronica asks. 

“We keep digging,” Jughead says, nodding at the papers between them. “We keep at it until we find something that we can actually use.”

“Juggie.”

“Don’t,” he snaps, holding a hand up. He glares at her for a second before leaning forward a little. “I need to do this. I need to work this. Okay? Just. Let me do this.”

“Okay, Jughead,” Veronica says softly. 

She reaches across the table for his hand, covering it with her own. His skin is cold to the touch. She wraps her fingers around his and hopes that some of her own warmth helps. He wiggles his hand until their fingers are laced together. They sit and work like that until Jughead yanks his fingers free and sits up straight, “I think I might actually have something.”

Veronica holds her hand out for whatever it is that he’s looking at. It’s an invoice for chemical supplies. Veronica frowns and scans over the sheet. There isn’t anything that stands out to her but then she notices it. The shipping address is on the Southside. 

“It’s got to be their lab,” Jughead is saying, leaning forward. “We can stake it out. See who comes and goes. This could be it.”

Veronica bites her bottom lip and nods along with his plan. It’s the closest that they’ve come to finding anything of value. But it doesn’t make her feel any better. It just further solidifies what she knew. Her father is a bad man. 

“Ronnie?” Jughead asks softly. Veronica looks up and blinks the tears from her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Just more proof that my  _ father _ is not who I thought he was,” she says with a shrug and a sad laugh. “It shouldn’t be so surprising anymore but here I am. Crying like an idiot.”

“It’s a big deal, Ronnie,” Jughead says softly. He licks his lips and looks over her shoulder. “I remember the first time I realized that my dad was in a gang. It was after my mom left for Toledo with my sister.”

Veronica stills in her seat. She’s never heard Jughead talk about his family. Not like this. 

“I thought,” Jughead pauses for a second. “I thought my mom left because of the drinking. It wasn’t until a few months after she left and my dad just started wearing the jacket around the house that I figured it out. It wasn’t  _ just _ the drinking. It was the lifestyle. We lost the house. Moved into Sunnyside, into his dad’s old trailer, into his old habits, apparently. Habits I couldn’t see because he’d at least tried to keep them secret when my mom was around. It’s why I wouldn’t live there, why I was living at the drive-in and with the Andrews.”

“Juggie,” Veronica whispers. She slides from her side of the booth into the seat next to him. She cups his face and kisses his softly. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”

“My point is,” Jughead murmurs against her lips. “We’re not our parents, Veronica. Our parents made shitty life choices. They may very well  _ be _ shitty people. But we’re not them.”

She slides her hands into his hair and pulls him in for a hug, squeezing tight. She presses her cheek into his shoulder and breathes in the smell of his cologne.

“We’re not them,” she repeats softly. Her eyes land on a familiar invoice logo and she pulls away from Jughead to grab it. “Oh my god.”

“What?” he asks, turning towards the table. Jughead’s eyes widen when he sees the Andrews Construction invoice. “We need to talk to Archie.”

“We need to warn his dad before we do anything,” Veronica says, nodding along. “Whatever route we take. It’s going to cause serious blowback for an already struggling company.” 

“How involved is he in the SoDale project?” Jughead asks, leaning forward. “I mean, he’s just a subcontractor, right?”

Veronica sighs and closes her eyes as she shakes her head, “When Fred Andrews found out that Lodge Industries was behind the SoDale project, he forced my mother to let him sign on as a partner for the entire development. All of the publicity and PR comes from Lodge Industries but, financially, it's a Lodge Industries and Andrews Construction project.”

“Fuck.”

“Exactly,” Veronica says with a sigh. She starts gathering her papers together while Jughead pulls out his phone, fingers sending out a quick text. 

They ride over to the Andrews’ house on Jughead’s motorcycle. The second they knock on the door, Archie opens it. He looks between the two of them before ushering them both inside, “What’s going on?”

“We need to talk to you about the SoDale project,” Veronica says, holding up her folder. “It has to do with that crate of drugs you helped Jughead drop off.”

“Dude, you told her?” Archie asks with wide eyes. “I thought we were never speaking of it again.”

“Yeah, well, my father might be involved,” Veronica says with a bitter smile. She leans towards Jughead unintentionally and he puts his hand on her lower back. The movement is not missed by Archie. “We’re going to need lots of booze.” 

“That bad, huh?” Archie asks as he moves to his father’s liquor cabinet. 

He pulls out a bottle of something that looks far too cheap for Veronica’s taste but she’s not going to be choosy at the moment. She bites her lip considering for a second before turning to Jughead, “We should bring Betty into this.”

“What?” Archie says, turning towards them. “No way. I am not getting Betty involved in this.”

“She would want to know,” Veronica says, turning to him. “She loves this town just as much as any of us.”

“She’s our friend, Archie,” Jughead says. “She would want to help.”

“Jughead, when we dropped that crate off,” Archie says. “We promised we weren’t going to bring her into this. That we would keep her out. Keep her safe.” 

“You guys don’t have the right to decide that,” Veronica says. “We have kept so many secrets from each other this year and all it’s done it hurt us. I am tired of secrets. I’m telling Betty.”


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The Serpents work by majority rule, right?” Archie says, looking at Jughead from under his furrowed brow. Jughead nods. He knows where Archie is going with this. “So, we show them the evidence. We give them the option. Go to the cops or handle it themselves.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i went to my 10 year reunion last night. it was about as weird and as awkward as you would expect. buuuuuuut. 10 year reunion jeronica fic?????

Betty and Archie are silent throughout their whole explanation. But as soon as Veronica is done laying everything out, they’re both bursting with questions. The main one being, “Are you sure?”

“As sure as we can be with what we have,” Veronica says with a nod. She looks a little pale after recounting everything. She’s still in shock over her father. Jughead knows that with a very sharp understanding. “Betty, you’ve looked at the paperwork. You’re the one who caught the first Sugarman.”

“Yeah and look how much good that did,” Betty mutters shaking her head. She frowns and stares down at her thighs. “I thought we were done with the jingle jangle stuff. I thought it was  _ done _ .”

“We all did,” Jughead mutters, shaking his head. “I should have known better. That it was never going to be that easy.”

“Is anything in Riverdale ever easy?” Betty mutters. 

“Seriously, I suggested it years ago, but we all really should just move,” Veronica replies. Archie rolls his eyes and Betty laughs a little. “I’m just saying that our lives would be much simpler outside of Riverdale.”

“We could actually focus on studying instead of trying to avoid gang wars and ending the drug trade,” Jughead agrees with a nod. He gives Veronica a small smirk and she rolls her eyes at him. “Either way, we need a stake out.” 

“I can do it,” Betty volunteers instantly, eyes bright with excitement. He remembers how the nitty-gritty of investigating was always Betty’s favorite part. Anything to put her Nancy Drew skills to use. “With the twins and my parents. I need the break.”

“I can sit in with you,” Jughead volunteers. Veronica tenses a little next to him but he doesn’t rescind the offer.  “My dad won’t question me being out all night. We can trade off. Me and Betty for the night shift. Archie and Ronnie for the day shift.”

Archie raises his eyebrows at the use of the nickname but nods along with the plan. Betty gives him a small nod but she won’t look him in the eyes. Veronica is still stiff next to him. He shifts his hand against the counter, brushes his knuckles against her arm. She turns to look at him and gives him a soft smile. It’s enough. 

“What else do we need?” Archie asks, crossing his arms. He frowns a little. “I definitely need to talk to my dad. Get him to understand what’s going on. Why we’re not going to Keller just yet.”

“You sure it’s a good idea to get him involved?” Betty asks with a frown. “I mean, for his own safety?”

She touches Archie’s forearm gently. He tenses under her fingers at first before relaxing. Betty smiles shyly and wraps her fingers around his wrist, pulling his hand free to lace their fingers together. It’s a start to something between them and Jughead finds himself smiling at the thought. 

“I can’t keep this from him,” Archie says, shaking his head. He looks at Veronica and sighs. “You know how hard he’s been struggling to keep the business afloat. Even with the SoDale project. I can’t let him get blindsided by this.”

“I’ll tell the Serpents, maybe recruit the few who are still speaking to me,” Jughead mumbles, pulling at his bottom lip. He looks at Veronica with raised eyebrows. “Should you warn your mom?”

“That’s under the assumption that she has nothing to do with any of this,” Veronica says, shaking her head. She sighs sadly and Jughead decides fuck it. He puts a hand on her shoulder, sliding his thumb up the side of her neck. She leans into his touch slightly, ignoring the looks that both Archie and Betty are giving them. “I just can’t trust her, right now. Not with this.”

“Ronnie,” Archie says softly but she just smiles and shakes her head. Promises them all that she’s fine. That she can handle it. Jughead can still see the worry on everyone’s faces. 

“When do we start?” Betty asks. They turn back to her and shrug. “I’m free tomorrow night. Polly will be home and my parents are going on a marriage counselor mandated ‘date night’ so I won’t be missed.” 

“Works for me,” Jughead says with a shrug. “We can gather some intel and, hopefully, have something more concrete by the next Serpent gathering.”

“Explain to me, again, why we’re even considering keeping this from Keller,” Betty says when Jughead mentions the Serpents. She narrows her eyes at him before looking at Archie. “Isn’t the whole reason you two are even mixed up in this was to help the Serpents?”

“We were helping my dad,” Jughead says slowly.

“Isn’t that the same thing at this point?” Betty snaps. Jughead jerks back at her tone, the sharpness of it. 

“Betty,” Veronica says, a soft admonishment. 

“It’s fine,” Jughead says, finally dropping his hands from her shoulder. He crosses his arms and looks Betty in the eye. “You have something to say, Betty?”

“Just that the Serpents haven’t done you any favors, Jug,” Betty says slowly. She sighs and closes her eyes for a second before looking at him again. “Why put yourself at risk, put yourself in danger, for them? What are they to you that you’re willing to risk everything for them?”

Jughead hears the unasked question. The unspoken  _ why them over me _ . Jughead doesn’t have an eloquent answer that’ll make her happy. He’s pretty sure there’s nothing that he could say that would make Betty understand, not really. 

“They’re my family,” Jughead says after a moment of long silence. He looks at Archie and Veronica, turns back to Betty with as open an expression that he can manage. “Just as much as you guys are. I can’t turn my back on them.”

“And they’re not turning their backs on him,” Veronica says, giving Jughead a long look. “Just like we aren’t.”

“We have to be together on this, Betty,” Jughead says softly. “Please. I need my friends on my side.”

Something in face softens and she relaxes a little in her seat, “I am  _ always _ on your side, Juggie. I’ve never stopped being on your side.”

“Then don’t question why I want to help them,” Jughead says slowly. “Southside is different. Always has been. They don’t trust the cops.”

“We need someone who has the firepower to actually take them down, Jug,” Betty says, shaking her head. “I’ve been to those Serpent meetings, Jughead, and they don’t have it.”

“The Serpents work by majority rule, right?” Archie says, looking at Jughead from under his furrowed brow. Jughead nods. He knows where Archie is going with this. “So, we show them the evidence. We give them the option. Go to the cops or handle it themselves.”

“You’re going to trust a gang to make the right choice?” Betty asks, eyebrows raised. “I mean, these are the people who willingly trashed the drive-in for money. They sell drugs.”

“Not anymore,” Jughead says, shaking his head. “I’m making sure of that.”

“We don’t really have that much of a choice, B,” Veronica says with a slight shrug. Betty sighs and nods even though they can all see she’s reluctant to.

“I don’t have classes tomorrow,” Archie says after a moment. He hasn’t let go of Betty’s hand once through this all and it doesn’t look like he’s going to any time soon. Jughead sees the way his thumb runs over her knuckles. The way she looks down at their laced fingers before pressing her mouth into a thin line, a weak attempt to smother the way the corners of her mouth perk up a little. Archie raises his eyebrows at Veronica. “I’ll bring coffee and my truck?” 

“Sounds like a date,” Veronica chirps. She blinks and shakes her head with a laugh. “Not a. Date date.”

“Obviously,” Archie says with an equally awkward laugh. The four of them look at each and blush. “God. When did we get so complicated?” 

They all laugh and something in them all relaxes for the first time in months. Betty smiles at Jughead and it touches her eyes. She licks her lips and flicks her eyes towards Veronica, “Um. So. Are you two?”

“Betty!” Veronica says, standing up straight. 

Betty rolls her eyes, “You said it yourself, V. Secrets haven’t done any of us any good. I’m just as tired of them as you are. Besides, my therapist is encouraging me to be more open. So, here’s me. Being open.”

“That’s really great, Betty,” Archie says, eyes sweet and adoring. Jughead tries to suppress his own smile at the moment. 

“Yeah, well, the past year has made some things very clear,” she says with a nod. She gives Jughead a shy smile. “Taught me a lot of things about myself. And it’s time. You know? Polly has been going to this holistic doctor at that Farm commune out of town and it’s been really good for her.” 

“I’m so proud of you, B, really,” Veronica says before she goes to her side, wrapping her arms around her. “And I am always here for you. Anything you need.” 

“God,” Betty says, turning to hug her back. “Anything for you, V. Anything.”

“You two are cute,” Jughead says because he can’t help himself. 

“Should we have our own moment?” Archie asks, raising his eyebrows at Jughead. He holds his arms out and flexes his hands. “Come on, dude.” 

Jughead laughs and raises his eyebrows, “I’m good. You know you’re my brother.” 

Archie laughs and relaxes into the chair, crossing his arms. He kicks his legs out and flicks his eyes to Veronica, “You didn’t answer Betty, though. Are you two?” 

“No.”

“Yes.” 

Jughead raises his eyebrows at Veronica, “Yes?” 

Veronica keeps an arm around Betty, reaches down to lace their fingers together, and gives him a small smile. She looks up at him, head tilted back. Her cheeks are turning pink as she casually says, “No more secrets, right?” 

He can’t help the small smirk that appears on his face when he nods, “No more secrets.” 

Veronica looks down at Betty with wide eyes and pales lips, “Is that okay, B? Please let it be okay.” 

Betty looks between the two of them, eyes wide and searching. Jughead doesn’t know what she’s looking for. If she’s even looking for anything. They’re too twisted and complicated a friend group for this to matter but he understands Veronica’s need for Betty’s approval. He just hopes that Betty gets it too.

“I just want us all to be happy,” Betty says slowly, closing her eyes. She sighs and gives them all a watery smile. “I think after everything we all just deserve to be happy.” 

“Damn straight,” Archie agrees with a laugh. They all join him and Jughead feels like something is beginning to heal inside him. 

Veronica and Jughead leave shortly after. He drops her off at the Pembrooke. She kisses him. Once. Twice. Promises to call him in the morning before flouncing off into the building. 

When he gets home, his dad is sitting at the kitchen table bottle of bourbon and a glass in front of him. Jughead pauses, hands on the doorframe, “Dad?” 

“You’re out, boy,” FP says as he pours another glass. He looks at Jughead out of the corner of his eye. “I’m sorry, Jug.” 

“They voted?” Jughead asks, throat tight. He drops his hands to his sides, feels his shoulders droop. “You didn’t call.”

“They did it without me. Tall Boy,” FP says with a sneer. He sips his drink before pointing at Jughead with the hand holding his glass. “You know how many scraps I’ve gotten that good for nothing fucking bastard out of? And this is how he shows loyalty.” 

Jughead goes to the kitchen table. He sits down and presses his fists to his mouth. He shakes his head and closes his eyes, “No. Let me talk to them. Let me plead my case one more time.” 

“It’s done, Jug,” FP says with a tired sigh. 

“I’m gathering evidence on Penny. Evidence that she’s working with the Ghoulies. With Hiram Lodge to take over the Southside,” Jughead continues. “I just need a few more days!” 

“Enough, Jughead!” FP shouts, slamming a hand to the table. Jughead jumps and looks up at his father. “It’s over! Let it go! Too many people owe the snake charmer to turn their backs on her. You’ve lost, boy.”

Jughead scowls at the coffee table. He sits back in his chair and yanks his hat off his head, throwing it onto the linoleum. He looks over at his father and sees the tears on his cheeks, “Are they taking my tattoo?”

“No,” FP says, clenching his jaw. “I wouldn’t let them do that to you.”

“And Penny?”

“She’s not happy. Hell, she’s fucking furious but she’ll back down. If she wants to stay in the Serpents’ good graces,” FP mutters, nodding to himself. Jughead doesn’t believe him and he’s sure that FP doesn’t believe himself. “She’ll back down.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “See that?” he asks, voice calm and casual as if this wasn’t some archaic show of dominance. “Same tattoo that you have. That Sweetpea and Toni and Fangs and every other goddamn Serpent standing in this room.”
> 
> Jinx struggles a little but Jughead just tightens his grip on his hair. He rolls his eyes and licks his lips before continuing, “I know why I’m here and I have a pretty good guess as to why they’re all here. We’re here because we give a shit about this tattoo and what it means. To us. To the Southside. So. Why are you here, Jinx?”

Veronica has only been home a couple of hours before there’s a knock on her door. It’s not too late but she frowns anyways. Andre didn’t call up about anyone coming to visit or anything. She peeks through the peephole and feels her stomach flip over when she sees Jughead. 

“Couldn’t wait until tomorrow, Holden?” Veronica asks as she opens the door. The smile on her face slips away when she sees how defeated Jughead looks. She pulls him inside, hand on his forearm. “Jughead? What happened? Is it Penny?”

“They kicked me out,” he says shortly, stumbling after her towards the dining room. “They voted without my dad and they kicked me out.”

“The Serpents?” Veronica asks. She goes to the small bar by the dining room table and pours two fingers of whiskey into a glass for him. She doesn’t even bother with ice. “Why didn’t anyone call you?”

“Tall Boy called for the vote,” Jughead mutters before tossing back the whiskey. He holds it out to Veronica and she raises her eyebrow as she fills it again. “Did it without my dad being there.”

“Fucking snake,” Veronica hisses. Jughead pauses with the glass at his lips and raises both eyebrows at her. She rolls her eyes and snorts a little. “Excuse the pun.”

“No,” he says, waving a finger at her. “I think I’m going to hold that memory close for a long time.”

“Can we focus, please?” she asks with a slight chuckle. He nods and sips more slowly at his second drink. Veronica takes it from him and sips at it herself, hissing a little at the burn. “What do we do?”

“Are your parents home?” 

“What?” Veronica replies, blinking at him. He’s taking off his jacket, looking far too vulnerable and young without his Serpent leathers. 

“Are your. Parents. Home?” 

“They’re at a fundraising dinner in Greendale. They won’t be home for hours,” she mutters as Jughead comes up her. He cups her jaw and tilts her head back to look at him. “Jughead?”

“Help me forget, Ronnie. I need to forget for a little while,” he mumbles, digging his fingers into her scalp. Her eyelashes flutter and she feels something warm bloom between her legs. “Take off your dress.”

“Excuse me?” she asks with a short laugh. She raises her eyebrows at him. 

“I want to see something beautiful,” he says with a lazy smirk. “I  _ need  _ to see something beautiful.”

A shiver runs down her spine. She reaches around and unzips the back of her dress. The fabric slides off her shoulder, pooling around her feet. Jughead looks down at her, takes a step back and lets go of her so that he can see all of her, and frowns at her bra. Veronica rolls her eyes but unclasps it anyways, letting it fall to her feet with her dress. 

Jughead trails his fingers up between her breasts, tracing over her collarbone, as he mutters, “You are so fucking stunning.”

Veronica’s heart is pounding in her chest. Jughead gently pushes at her chest until she’s stepping back towards the dining room table. He lifts her slightly until she’s perched on the edge of the table. He kneels down between her legs, keeping eye contact, as he runs his hands up her calves, over the outside of her thighs and down between her knees to spread her legs wide. He kisses the thin fabric covering her and she moans, pressing up against his mouth. 

He pauses just long enough to pull her underwear down her legs, leaving her in nothing but her jewelry and her heels. He stares up at her in awe before pressing his mouth to her clit. She slides her fingers into the familiar thickness of his hair and thanks whatever deity gave him to her. His lips and tongue run over her pussy, making her twitch and moan. It’s always like quicksand with him, sucking her in until there’s nothing else but his lips, his hands, and what they do to her. 

“God, Jug,” she groans, squeezing her eyes shut. She tugs on his hair, arches her back, grinds herself against his mouth. Anything to get him closer. Anything to keep his mouth on her. She keens loudly as her orgasm washes through her.

She’s barely aware of anything around her. Just that her limbs feel heavy and her thighs are wet with her juices. Jughead stands up, mouth pink and shiny. She gives him a crooked smile, “I’m sure I’m a sight. Naked and draped on the dining room table.”

“I said I wanted to see something beautiful,” he replies before leaning over to kiss her. He pushes his tongue into her mouth and she can taste herself. “Tell me you want me.”

“I want you,” she mutters against his mouth. His hands are fumbling between them and she hears the clink of his belt. 

“Tell me you need me,” he demands. 

She feels the tip of him rub against her opening. She looks him in the eyes, “I need you, Jughead Jones.” 

He slides into her with a groan. Her breath catches in her throat at the stretch of him inside her. She lets out a weak moan once he’s fully in. He presses a tender kiss to the corner of her mouth, “Do you love me?”

“You know I do,” she whispers. He sighs against her cheek and starts to move, painfully slow. She holds her breath as he pulls out and gasps loudly when he pushes in forcefully. “God. You know I do.” 

“I love you,” he murmurs into her chest. She buries her hands into his hair and holds his mouth to her chest. “I love you so much.” 

Veronica cries out when he grinds himself into her. She squeezes her eyes shut and wraps her legs around him, keeping him close. He kisses up the side of her neck, bites the shell of her ear, “Do you have any idea what you do to me?” 

“I have an idea,” she pants with a smile. 

He pins her hips in place and increases his pace until she’s a babbling mess. He smirks against her cheek. She begs him not to stop, throwing her hands out to desperately try and grab onto the table. He continues his pace until she’s coming with a sob. His hips stutter and he follows after her, mouth pressed against her shoulder. They stay that way panting into the large room for a few minutes. 

Veronica combs her fingers through his hair and breaks the silence, “We need to call Toni.”

“Why?”

“To see where she stands. Her and Fangs and Sweetpea,” Veronica lists off. “Any others that stand with them. With you.”

“What are you talking about?” Jughead asks, looking up at her. 

Veronica rolls her eyes and pushes at him until he gets off of her. They gather their clothes together and put the table back where it belongs before heading back to her bedroom. Veronica changes into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, stopping when Jughead raises his eyebrows at her. 

“What?”

“I’ve known you since high school,” Jughead says. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear jeans.”

“Oh, grow up,” Veronica says, rolling her eyes. She pulls on a pair of boots and pulls her hair back into a low braid. She raises her eyebrows at Jughead. “Well?”

“Well what?”

“Call Toni. Tell her to meet us somewhere,” Veronica says, nodding as he pulls his phone from his pocket. “So they took your jacket. So what? Penny is still a threat and, even if the entire gang is full of morons, I know you still want to protect them.”

“Ronnie.” 

Veronica walks up to him with a pleased smirk. She loops a finger through his belt loop and pulls him closer to her, “I have your back, Jones. Unless you’re doing something supremely stupid.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” Jughead replies, gripping her hip with a warm hand. “Toni will get together who she can. Meets us at Southside High.” 

“Isn’t that land condemned?” Veronica asks, raising an eyebrow. 

“Only place we know will be free of prying eyes,” Jughead says with a shrug. “Apparently, she's been waiting to hear from me. Already had this meeting planned.”

“More proof that you Serpents really need to start listening to the women more often,” Veronica says with a pleased smile. 

They head out not long after that, riding across town on Jughead’s motorcycle. The old high school is about as creepy as Veronica expected an empty school to be. There are no desks or lockers anymore, the walls are covered in graffiti, and there’s plenty of evidence of squatters. Jughead helps Veronica gently pick her way through the debris and trash until they make it to the old newspaper office. 

Toni is already there, pacing back and forth. Sweetpea and Fangs are leaning against the wall, arms crossed and expressions fowl. There are a few other younger Serpents that Veronica doesn’t recognize but she assumes that they’re trustworthy since they’re there to begin with. As soon as Toni notices them, she has her arms wrapped around Jughead.

“Fuck, Jones,” Toni says as she pulls away. “I was worried that Penny might have gotten to you.” 

“Tell me what happened,” Jughead says, looking towards Sweetpea and Fangs. “My dad gave me the bare minimum.”

“Fucking Tall Boy, that’s what happened,” Sweetpea mutters. He pulls at his bottom lip and shakes his head. “Fucking bastard’s been in Penny’s pocket this whole time. Been waiting for his moment.”

“What’s the end goal though?” Veronica asks. 

“What’s the Lodge princess doing here?” one of the unnamed Serpents asks, stepping forward. He glowers at Veronica, looking her up and down. “She’s not a Serpent.”

“She’s Serpent friendly, Jinx,” Sweetpea says, shaking his head. He claps a hand on Jinx’s shoulder and smirks at Veronica. “She’s on our side.”

“She’s still Northside,” Jinx says, shaking his head. He smirks at Jughead, crossing his arms. “Man, you really do got something for Northside girls though.”

“Jinx,” Sweetpea warns. 

“Tell me,” Jinx says before leaning forward. He smiles at Jughead, big and bright with lots of teeth. His eyes flick to Veronica and she instantly feels cheaper. “Do their pussies smell better than Southside girls or something?” 

Veronica jerks forward, more than willing to shut his fucking mouth, but Jughead grabs her by the arm and pulls her behind him. She scoffs at him and opens her mouth, ready to tell him off for assuming that she needed protecting, but he’s already on Jinx. He swings from up high and knocks Jinx to the ground. 

He shrugs off his jacket and flannel in spite of the chill that’s still in the air. As he kneels down next to Jinx, he rolls up his shirt sleeve to expose the S on his skin. He grabs Jinx by his blonde mohawk and yanks his head back so that he can see the tattoo. 

“See that?” he asks, voice calm and casual as if this wasn’t some archaic show of dominance. “Same tattoo that you have. That Sweetpea and Toni and Fangs and every other goddamn Serpent standing in this room.” 

Jinx struggles a little but Jughead just tightens his grip on his hair. He rolls his eyes and licks his lips before continuing, “I know why I’m here and I have a pretty good guess as to why they’re all here. We’re here because we give a shit about this tattoo and what it means. To us. To the Southside. So. Why are you here, Jinx?”

“I grew up here, Jones,” Jinx grumbles. He glares up at him out of the corner of his eye. “I backed your play with Penny. Like hell, I’m not going to back you now.”

Jughead nods and stands up, leaving Jinx on the ground by his feet. He looks around the group, pulls his hat off and lets his hair fall into his eyes. Veronica can see it. The version of him that could cut a woman. The version of him that could go through the gauntlet and still be standing at the end. 

“I broke the law,” Jughead says. “The Serpents have every right to kick me out.”

“It was a bullshit vote,” Fangs shouts. He steps forward, hands balled into fists. “Snake Charmer pulled in some favors. Played her tune and got enough Serpents to dance. Only reason she won the vote.”

“What do you want me to do about it?” Jughead asks. “The old man already took my jacket. I’m lucky he’s not letting them take my skin.”

“Bullshit,” Toni snaps. “The Jughead Jones  _ I _ know would never give in like that. I know you’ve got something going and I want in.”

“Toni.”

“Don’t even try it,” Toni says, holding up a hand. She looks at Veronica and smirks a little. “Whatever it is. We’re in.”

Jughead nods and looks down at his boots. Veronica can’t really tell but it looks like he’s blushing. When he looks back up, his eyes are steel and he’s smirking. He raises his eyebrows, “Alright. Let’s bring down Penny Peabody.”


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How much longer are we going to keep watch?” Toni asks him one night as they’re switching off. Betty is yapping her fingers on the steering wheel and looking anywhere but at the Serpent leaning in the window.
> 
> “Until we get something,” Jughead says. He’s said it a million times before and it’s getting harder to say.
> 
> “That’s what you said last week,” Toni says, rolling her eyes. “We’re not getting anywhere.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> took a day off for my birthday :)

They set up a rotation for watching the Greendale warehouse and the Ghoulies’ lair hoping the catch sight of Penny. Anything to link her directly to the drug trade. It’s boring and accomplishes almost nothing. Whatever Penny is doing, she’s doing it remotely. They’ve yet to catch her going in or out of Greendale. It’s always some courier.

The Serpents are growing impatient and so is Jughead if he’s being honest. They all want action, want something they can go to the others with. All they have so far is proof that the Ghoulies are dealing drugs which isn’t news to anyone.

“How much longer are we going to keep watch?” Toni asks him one night as they’re switching off. Betty is tapping her fingers on the steering wheel and looking anywhere but at the Serpent leaning in the window.

“Until we get something,” Jughead says. He’s said it a million times before and it’s getting harder to say.

“That’s what you said last week,” Toni says, rolling her eyes. “We’re not getting anywhere.”

“Do you have any other suggestions?” Jughead asks with a tired sigh. He rubs at his eyes and feels his phone vibrate in his pocket. He knows it’s Veronica checking in. “Cause this is the best that I’ve got right now.”

Toni frowns and shakes her head. She punches him gently in the shoulder and waves at Betty before going back to her own car where Cheryl is waiting. Betty waits until Toni’s door shuts before she’s pulling off from the curb. They ride in a tense silence for a while before Jughead finally cracks, “What is it, Betty?”

“Why haven’t we gone to Keller?” she asks immediately. She looks at him briefly with a frown before turning back to the road. “You’re, technically, not a Serpent anymore. You don’t need to worry about offending them.”

“It’s not about offending them, Betty,” Jughead says, shaking his head.

“You’re trying to win them back,” Betty says after a moment. “I’m right, aren’t I?”

“It doesn’t change the end goal. Stop Penny,” Jughead insists. Betty sighs and tucks her chin into her chest. Jughead rolls his eyes. “What Betty?”

“Keller is one of the good guys, Jughead!” she shouts. She looks at him, brows drawn down with so much worry it makes him flinch. “He helped us with Jason. Kept our names out of it. He could help us with this. You know he just wants to keep Riverdale safe.”

“Yeah with a grudge against the Southside,” Jughead mutters, shaking his head. “Even with Jason. His first thought was always that someone from the Southside did it. The shooting at Pop’s. The jingle jangle in the schools. All Keller has done is penalize the Southside when it’s not even us.”

“But it is, Jughead,” Betty says slowly. They’re getting off the highway at the Riverdale exit. Pop’s lights are a beacon in the night calling them home. “Even if it’s not the Serpents. Not entirely the Serpents. The Ghoulies are part of the Southside.”

“That doesn’t give Keller the right to persecute those of us who are just trying to live our lives,” Jughead snaps.

“I’m not disagreeing with you,” Betty says with a soft sigh. She pulls into Pop’s parking lot and turns to look him. “Look. Let’s get a burger and a shake. We’ll debate it out like we used to with the Jason Blossom case.”

“I am hungry,” Jughead admits with a slight smile.

“It’ll be like old times,” Betty says with an eager smile. She must realize what it is that she said because her eyes widen with panic. She waves her hands in front of her and closes her eyes. “Not. Not like romantically or anything. I mean. Just. As friends. Old times as friends.”

“I know, Betty,” Jughead says with a small smirk. She sighs and deflates slightly before climbing out of the car. He sends Veronica a quick text before following. They order and sit down in the corner booth. The debate about going to the cops goes on throughout their entire meal. Jughead’s stance can be summed up in one thought: it’s not the Serpent way.

“You do know saying the same thing in different ways isn’t going to convince me of anything,” she says, shaking her head. She dips a fry into her strawberry shake before popping it into her mouth. “Repetitiveness accomplishes nothing with the Cooper women.”

“Oh, trust me,” Jughead mutters before sucking down the last of his chocolate shake. “I’m perfectly aware of that.”

“I’ll give you one more week to come up with something solid. Evidence. An actual plan. Anything,” Betty says, reaching up to adjust her ponytail. “After that I’m going to Keller.”

“Fair enough,” Jughead says with a nod. Betty gives him a pleased smile before checking her phone. He watches her for a long minute before asking, “So, you and Archie?”

She actually chokes on her milkshake at that. Jughead can’t help but take a little bit of pleasure in catching Betty Cooper off her guard.

“I’m taking that as a yes?”

“There is no me and Archie,” Betty replies primly. She narrows her eyes at him. “Are we really at that point as exes where we can talk about our current relationship?”

“I’d like to think so,” Jughead says with a shrug. He leans back in the booth and pulls his leg in, resting his arm on his knee. “Unless you have an objection to it?”

“No,” Betty says, eyes darting away for a second. “I need a break from relationships. For a while I think.”

“Doesn’t mean you don’t have feelings,” Jughead says with a shrug.

“Those feelings are exactly why I _need_ to be single. I need to figure out what it is _I_ actually want. What I’ve felt for Archie. It’s been a part of me so long, it feels like an obligation almost,” Betty says with a frown. “But I love him. I know I do. I just. There’s a lot I need to figure out. So that’s a no to relationships. For now.”

They finish up their meal and head out into the night. By the time Betty drops off Jughead at his trailer, the beginnings of dawn is curling over the horizon. Betty reminds him once more that he has a week before she’s going to Keller.

Once he gets inside, he’s pleased to find Veronica asleep on the pull out couch. He strips off his jacket and kicks off his boots before lying down next to her. She flinches slightly when he puts a hand on her hips but then she’s nuzzling into his chest, “Your dad said I could stay.”

“How scared did he look opening the the door for a Lodge?” Jughead asks, voice soft. He wraps his arm around her waist and press his nose to her hair. She huffs a little, a sleepy little laugh, before shushing him.

“Sleep now,” she says softly before fading back into soft snores. He does as commanded and falls asleep shortly after.

By the end of the week, they still don’t have any new information and Betty’s deadline is looming over his head. Saturday afternoon ends with Sweetpea dragging Jinx through his trailer door. Jughead is up in a heartbeat, term papers forgotten on the kitchen table, “What the hell happened?”

“Fucking Ghoulies jumped us outside the cook house,” Sweetpea hisses as they lower Jinx to the couch. Jinx tilts his head back and pinches his nose, finally stemming the flow of blood. “Say they don’t appreciate snakes sniffing around their territory.”

“They didn’t say anything else?” Jughead asks as he gets some towels from the kitchen. He grabs some bag of frozen vegetables as well. “Nothing to indicate they might know what we’re about?”

“Was a little preoccupied getting our asses handed to us, Jones,” Sweetpea snaps as he tries to clean up Jinx’s face. “If you’d stop being a bitch I could set your nose, asshole.”

“Keep your mechanic hands off my face, Pea,” Jinx whines through the towel. He darts away from Sweetpea and grimaces through the pain.

“Try not to bleed on the couch, Jinx,” Jughead grumbles as he tries to think. The Ghoulies could be catching on to their plan. At the very least, their intel collecting operation was definitely compromised.

“Fuck you,” he groans.

Jughead is getting ready to say something back when the door to his trailer opens and Betty Cooper comes in with a halted smile, “What happened?”

“Nothing.”

“Ghoulies.”

Jughead glares at Sweetpea for the honesty of his answer. He knows they made a pact of no secrets but he also knows what Betty’s reaction is going to be.

“That’s it. I’m going to Keller,” Betty says, shaking her head. “This has gone on long enough.”

“What are you talking about, Cooper?” Sweetpea asks, hands balling into fists. He starts to tower over her and she tenses up. Jughead jumps between the two of them, hands up tot keep the peace. Sweetpea looks down his nose at Jughead. “Explain. Now.”

“She wants to leave the Ghoulies up to Keller. She wants to hand over what we have to Riverdale PD,” Jughead says quickly.

His eyes flick over to where Jinx is glaring at them. He knows he’s on shaky ground with both of them since the Ghoulie fight. Blood's been spilled. Going to the cops would show cowardice. He’s sure neither of them have forgotten the drag race.

“You’ve got to be kidding,” Sweetpea groans, rolling his eyes. “What makes you think Keller isn’t going to go after the Serpents? What’s stopping him from taking us out at the same time he takes out the Ghoulies?”

“I’ve worked with Keller before,” Betty says slowly. Jughead clenches his jaw at how condescending she sounds. “He’s a good man. If the Serpents haven’t done anything wrong, then they have nothing to be worried about.”

“Man, that Northside privilege must keep you real warm during the winter cause it is _thick_ ,” Jixie says from the couch. He’s not bleeding anymore but his face is still covered in blood though. He looks like something out of a horror film.

“Exc _use_ me?”

“Betty, don’t,” Jughead says, closing his eyes.

“I can’t believe any of you,” Betty says. Jughead turns just in time to see her throw her hands up and storm out of the trailer.

“Shit,” Jughead hisses. He doesn’t even spare the other men before running after her. “Betty!”

“No, Jughead!” she shouts as she stops by her car. “I’m done doing things your way. I’m not one of your Serpents to command.”

“I’m not asking you to be,” Jughead says, lowering his voice. Trying to just calm her down. “I promise.”

“I think you’re too wrapped up in this to think clearly, Jug,” Betty says. She licks her lips and lets out a shaky breath. “You’re too close to it to see that we _can’t_ do this on our own. We’re undergrads for goodness sake! We should be focusing on our finals. Not bringing down a drug ring.”

“Don’t you think I want that? For you? Archie? Veronica? Myself?” Jughead asks, voice cracking slightly. “Don’t you think I want to live a life free from this shit?”

“I really don’t, Jughead,” Betty says sadly before getting into her car and driving away.

Jughead stands in front is his trailer, hands curled into fists, for too long. He tries to breathe through his nose, tries to fight back the tears that are threatening to spill from his eyes. He feels lost. He feels tossed about by the current but everyone expects him to swim to shore. His chest tightens and he can’t do it. He just can’t. It’s all slipping away from him.

“Jughead, man, what are you doing?” Sweetpea calls from the steps of the trailer. Jughead jerks himself around, forces his face in something that could pass for calm. “Jinx is gonna need stitches. You gonna help or what?”

Three days pass before Keller comes knocking at his door. He glowers and he complains but, ultimately, he climbs into the cruiser and goes to the station to go over what Betty gave up. The conversation is simple enough. He keeps the Serpents out of it entirely. Focuses on the invoices from Lodge Industries, the location in Greendale, and the cook house in Riverdale. It’s enough for Keller who takes down everything he says with a nod.

“You should have come to us sooner,” Keller says as he’s driving Jughead back to the trailer park. Jughead scoffs and rolls his eyes. Keller sighs. “Look, son, I know you have your notions about how I feel about the Southside. But I can assure they are wrong.”

“Whatever you say, Keller,” Jughead mutters as he pulls up to the trailer. He turns to look at him and raises both eyebrows. “You’ll keep me informed?”

“As much as appropriate,” Keller says.

Jughead scowls, “Come on, Keller. This is going to be a two-way street and you know it. Let me know if you find something. I’ll do the same.”

He doesn’t give Keller the chance to say something back before hopping out the car and going inside. Veronica is pacing the living room and rushes to him with a relieved sigh as soon as he’s through the door. He cups the back of her head and smirks a little, “You’re certainly getting comfortable just being in my home.”

“I was worried,” Veronica says, shaking her head and pulling away from him. She tucks her hair behind her ear and shrugs.. “I just got a call from Toni that you were taken in by Keller but no one knew why and I couldn’t reach you _or_ Betty. I panicked.”

“You couldn’t reach Betty?” Jughead asks, pulling his phone from his pocket. Veronica shakes her head. He scans through his messages. Sees the texts and calls from the Serpents, Veronica, and Archie. He has one voicemail from Betty. “I have a voicemail from her.”

He puts the call on speaker and plays the message, “Jughead Jones.”

Jughead’s stomach drops to the bottom of his shoes when he hears Penny Peabody’s voice.

“We need to have a chat,” she says, voice bright and cheerful. “And to make sure you play nice. I’ve got your little blonde girlfriend here to keep me company until we meet. I’ll call you back once I’ve got a location lined up. Toodles.”


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first thing Veronica does when she realizes that Penny fucking Peabody has kidnapped her best friend is extract a promise from Jughead not to do anything rash.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> guys. we're nearing the end. can you belieeeeeeve?

The first thing Veronica does when she realizes that Penny fucking Peabody has kidnapped her best friend is extract a promise from Jughead not to do anything rash. His mouth is pressed into a thin, white line and she’s surprised that his phone hasn’t cracked in his grip. 

“I need you to promise me that you’ll think before you act,” Veronica repeats slowly. She raises her eyebrows at him and waits for him to agree. “Please, Jughead.” 

“Fine,” he says through clenched teeth. 

Next is she makes sure that he’s calling the right people. They’ll need the Serpents for this even if it is for a Northsider. They’re not going to be able to pull off anything without a little force behind them. Especially considering at this point the Ghoulies outnumbered the Serpents. 

“I’m going to talk to my father. See if I can’t get him on our side or something,” Veronica says frowning as she gathers her coat up. 

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Jughead asks, eyes instantly going stormy at the mention of her father. She cups his cheek and kisses him softly. “That’s not an answer.”

“Nothing involving my father is ever a good idea anymore,” Veronica replies, rolling her eyes. 

She’s already stiffening her spine and throwing up what mental defenses she has. It’s always a game of wills when it came to asking her father for something. She can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like asking him for this. 

“I have to do this,” she says finally. “For Betty.”

“Let me come with you at least,” Jughead says. 

He’s reaching for his helmet when she stops him, “I don’t think coming home on a motorcycle with his loudest critic is going to win me any favors. Though I do appreciate the offer.” 

“I don’t like the idea of you going in there without backup,” Jughead says, shaking his head. 

“This isn’t some recon mission, Jughead,” Veronica says, rolling her eyes. “It’s just a conversation with my father who might just be the Lex Luthor of Riverdale.”

“No big deal, right?” 

“Exactly, Juggiekins,” Veronica says with a sly smile that she knows he doesn’t buy for a second. She curls her fingers into the lapel of his jacket and pulls him in close for a kiss. “I’ll call you as soon as I can, okay?”

“If I don’t hear from you, I’m coming in guns blazing,” Jughead replies, raising an eyebrow. 

Veronica rolls her eyes and grabs her jacket and purse, “My father is not going to hurt me, Jughead.”

“Pretty positive Jason Blossom thought the same thing,” Jughead says. 

Veronica pauses for a second, fingers hovering over her phone. She shakes her head and calls for a car. No. Her father wouldn’t go that far. Veronica knew that he wouldn’t. That underneath all of the crime and the lies and the years of secrets, he was still her father under it all. He was still the man who taught her to ride a bike. Who tucked her back in after a nightmare. Who dried her tears after her first taste of heartbreak. 

Veronica knows that he’s done bad things. But they’ve all done bad things. It doesn’t necessarily make them bad people. She debates this point back and forth the entire ride back to the Pembrooke. 

When she knocks on her father’s office door, her stomach is twisted into knots and she wishes she hadn’t said no to Jughead. She takes a deep breath when he says to come in and plasters his favorite smile onto her face. 

“Daddy.”

“Veronica,” he says, looking up at her briefly. He’s reading through some paperwork. Something that is too important to properly greet his daughter apparently. Veronica shakes away the mean thought. “What can I help you with, mija?”

“I know about Penny Peabody,” Veronica says, ripping the proverbial band aid off. She clings to the idea that he’s a good man. That he’s not actually working with that woman directly. 

His pen pauses for a moment before continuing with his signature, “Penny. Peabody.”

“Yes,” Veronica says as she walks around his desk. She perches her hip on the edge and crosses her arms. “I know what her business is. Her connections to the Southside. The warehouse in Greendale that we happen to own.”

“What are you insinuating, Veronica?” he ask as he turns in his seat to look at her. He presses his fingers together and raises his eyebrows. 

“I just want to know where Penny is,” Veronica says, turning to him. She clasps her hands in front of her and tries to look pleading. “I need to know.”

“I don’t even know who this Penny person is, Veronica,” he says, looking away from her. He leans back in his chair before turning back to his paperwork. “I’m sorry, mija.” 

“She has Betty, Daddy,” Veronica says. She goes around to the other side of the desk and leans over so that she can catch his eye. “She took Betty and I need to know where she is.”

“That sounds like something that she be brought to the police, mija,” he says, raising an eyebrow at her. Far too calm, far too collected to be surprised. He hadn’t even blinked. “I know I fix a lot of things for you but this one should be left to the authorities.”

“Can we please stop playing some game like we don’t  _ both _ know what it is you do?” Veronica asks, closing her eyes. She breathes heavily through her nose and looks at her father again. “She’s my best friend, Daddy. I need your help.”

“I don’t know anyone by the name of Penny Peabody,” he says slowly, over enunciating each word. Veronica knows he’s lying. Can feel each lie hit her squarely in the chest. “Now, please, Veronica, go to the police. Let them handle it. We cannot be involved.”

Veronica bares her teeth in frustration before throwing her hands up and marching out of the office. She makes sure to slam the door behind her. Her mother is sitting at the dining room table with two rocks glasses full of an amber liquid. 

“So you heard that?” Veronica snaps as she grabs one of the glasses. She takes a healthy gulp and tries to blink back the tears in her eyes. 

“I’d always assumed that Penny Peabody was the other woman,” her mother says without preamble. Veronica blinks at her mother before sitting down in the open chair next to her. “I’d always assumed that your father had finally succumbed to the weakness of all men and had finally set up a mistress.” 

“She runs drugs,” Veronica says softly. “She kidnapped Betty. To get back at Jughead.”

“Ah,” Hermione says, tapping the edge of her glass with a finger. She gives Veronica a bitter smile and sips from her own glass. “I think I prefer the mistress story.” 

“Do you know where she is?” Veronica asks. She closes her eyes and tries not to scream. “Please, Mom.” 

Hermione leaves the table and goes to the hutch. She writes something down before spinning on her heel and holding it out to Veronica. Veronica gets up from the table and reaches for it but Hermione jerks the piece of paper away at the last second. She waves a finger at Veronica and tuts slightly, “Nothing comes for free in this family, mija. You know that.” 

“What do you want,” Veronica says, clenching her teeth. 

“Your share in the company,” Hermione says instantly. “Give me complete control of your shares and your signing power. I want it all.”

“Are you serious right now? Betty’s life is in danger and you’re trying to pull a business coup?” Veronica hisses, reaching for the paper again. “I don’t have time for this!”

“Then I suppose you better make a decision quick then,” Hermione says, corner of her mouth twitching into something that could pass for a smile. She sips from her drink and waits for Veronica’s answer. 

“Fine.”

She hands it over and Veronica snatches it away before storming out of the apartment. She pauses long enough to grab her jacket. Long enough to see the look of utter devastation that’s on her mother’s face. Veronica doesn’t give it any thought before she’s rushing to the elevator and calling Jughead. 

He answers on the second ring and agrees to meet her at Southside High. He’s already gathered what Serpents he can and is on his way there. 

She doesn’t tell him about the moment with her mother. Doesn’t tell him about her father’s total denial. He doesn’t need to hear that and she needs to focus. Betty is the priority now. 

The ride to Southside High takes longer than she wants. She has to spend at least five minutes convincing the driver that _ yes, I’m sure that’s where I want to go and I am perfectly aware that it’s condemned. _ She almost goes so far as to use her status as a mob princess to him moving. 

When she gets there, she spots three bikes that she recognizes. Something in her chest relaxes knowing that she’s finally got the backup that she needs. There are a couple more that she doesn’t know. She hopes that her interactions with the Serpents will be better than it was the last time they were all there. 

“Any word?” Veronica asks as she steps into the Red & Black office. Jughead turns to her, mouth drawn down into a deep frown. “Have you heard from Penny?”

“I keep trying to call but she doesn’t pick up,” Jughead says, shaking his head. “It’s only a matter of time before Betty’s parents notice that she’s missing, before they go to Keller.”

“I have an address,” Veronica says, holding up the scrap of paper that her mother gave her. “My mom says that it’s Penny’s.”

“How do we know it isn’t a lie?” Jinx asks, stepping out of the shadows. Veronica tries to not roll her eyes at his dramatics. 

“What choice do we have?” Veronica asks. “Not everyone has to go to that location. Just some. Scope it out. See if they find anything.”

“I’m going to call her again,” Jughead announces suddenly. Jinx rolls his eyes and groans, going back to his dark corner. He puts the phone on speaker and the Serpents in the room all settle into a familiar holding pattern. Veronica wonders how many times he’s called. 

“Jesus Christ,” Penny wails when she answers the phone. “What do you want?”

“Where the fuck is Betty, Penny?” Jughead barks. 

“She’s fine.”

“Put her on the phone. Now,” Jughead demands. 

“Chill out, Jones,” Penny says. “She’s fine. She’s busy at the moment but she’s fine.”

“What the hell do you mean busy?” Jughead growls. 

The door behind Veronica opens. She turns to it and raises her eyebrows at Cheryl and Toni. Cheryl has, of all things, a bow and quiver over her shoulder. The redhead doesn’t even spare Veronica a glance before marching over to Jughead and the phone. She snatches it from Jughead’s hand and brings the microphone close to her mouth, “Give me back my cousin, you hag, or I swear to God I will bring unholy hell down upon you.”

“Jonesy, this is not how we do business,” Penny says with a laugh. “Though I like your girl’s fire. Can see the relation to Ponytail, that’s for sure. You like ‘em mouthy? Yeah. Your dad did, too.”

Jughead snatches the phone back from Cheryl and shoves her towards Toni. Toni wraps her arm around Cheryl’s waist and starts whispering in her ear. He lets out a low breath before bringing the phone back to his mouth, “What do you want Penny?”

“What I wanted was payment for service rendered,” Penny says. Jughead closes his eyes and clenches his jaw. “But you fucked that up for me. Scarred me. Kicked me out of my home. And all I wanted was for your daddy dear to strip you of your jacket himself. Like a fucking man. But no. Can’t have that. So, we do it right. We vote you out. I ask for some slight compensation. Your tattoo for mine. I think it’s fair. I think I’ve been insulted enough but no. I don’t even get that.”

“Get to the fucking point!” Sweetpea shouts from across the room. Jughead holds a hand out to him, shushing him. 

“I was more than willing to disappear into the fold though. Keep my dealings out of Sunnyside and avoid the Serpents entirely,” Penny continues, completely ignoring Sweetpea’s outburst. “But what do I find? The same fucking Serpents that held me down while you cut my tattoo off, scoping out my shit. And then. Your girlfriend. Your Northside princess get my boys arrested!”

“Your problem is with me, Penny!” Jughead shouts. Veronica swallows the lump in her throat. The room is tense. She can tell that everyone wants to just shout until all of their problems solve themselves. “You deal with me!”

“Oh. I will. We’ll make a trade. Simple trade. You for the Northside princess,” Penny says and Veronica understands why they call her Snake Charmer. Her voice is butter smooth and easy to believe. She gets why Jughead fell for her trap to begin with. “Tonight. Where you cut my tattoo off. Come alone and unarmed. You can have your girl back.”

“Done.”

“Jughead, no!” Veronica shouts but her voice is drowned out by everyone shouting out at once. 

“Shut up!” Jughead shouts over everyone. He glares around the group until they all quiet down. “I said. I agree, Penny.”

“Great,” Penny says. “See you at midnight, Jonesy.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m sorry,” he says. He shoves his hands into his jacket pockets and curls in on himself. “For all of this mess. I am sorry, Veronica.”
> 
> “We do the best that we can, Juggiekins,” Veronica says, sliding her hand into his pocket and tangling her fingers with his. “We hold on tight and we do the best that we can.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. so my posting finally caught up with my writing. i'm still working on chapter twenty. so it might be a minute before the next chapter.

“You’re high on jingle jangle if you seriously think any of us are letting you go there by yourself,” Veronica snaps the second the phone call ends. Jughead drops his chin to his chest and tries to quiet the ringing in his ears. He knows he’s on the verge of a panic attack but he really doesn’t have the time for it. “Forsythe!”

“What choice do I have, Veronica?” he snaps. She blinks at him and jerks back when he reaches a hand out.

“We could try and get Betty back ourselves,” Veronica says, curling her hands into fists. She looks at Sweetpea and Fangs. “Couldn’t we?”

They both look at Jughead who just shakes his head, “This is the easiest way.”

“It’s bullshit! She’ll kill you and you know it,” Veronica snaps. His heart squeezes in his chest when he notices that there are tears in her eyes. “We can come up with a better plan.”

“We don’t have the time, Ronnie,” Jughead says, lowering his voice. He goes to her finally and holds onto her upper arms. She presses her forehead to his chest and grabs onto his shirt. “I can’t ask them to risk themselves for someone who isn’t a Serpent. And it’s time I finally owned up to the shit I’ve started.”

“I’m coming with you,” Cheryl says instantly, stepping out of Toni’s arms. Jughead shakes his head in protest. He hasn’t let go of Veronica. She’s keeping him grounded just as much as he is her. He doesn’t know what he would do if she weren’t here to keep him solid.

“Like hell you are,” Jughead says. “I go alone.”

“Why? So they can kill you _and_ Betty?” Cheryl replies. She takes a menacing step towards him. “Your family was already involved in the death of my brother. Must you be the cause of the death of my cousin as well?”

“Take her with you,” Veronica says, pulling away from him. Her cheeks are wet and she turns away from him when he tries to wipe them away. “If you insist on being supremely stupid. Then at least take some backup.”

“For once, keep your mouth shut, Jones, and listen to those of us who are smarter than you,” Sweetpea snaps. He looks at Cheryl with a frown. “You sure you got this, Red?”

“Don’t insult me, Lurch,” Cheryl says, rolling her eyes. “I wouldn’t offer if I weren’t more than capable.”

“Stop,” Jughead snaps, holding his hands up. “Everyone just shut up. I’m not taking anyone. I’m going alone and you’re all going to deal with it. It’s bad enough that they have Betty. I’m not putting anyone else I care about at risk.”

“And what about the people who care about you?” Veronica says softly. “Which includes Betty. And Archie. And your dad. Me. What about us? What are we supposed to do when you show up dead in a ditch because of some bullshit hero complex?”

“Veronica.”

“No,” she snaps, holding a hand up. “If this is what you want to do then fine. But don’t expect me to support it, okay?”

She gives him one last sad look before walking out of the classroom. He takes a step to follow after her but Cheryl stops him with a hand on his upper. He looks down at her pale hand with her bright red nails. They dig into his arm through the denim of his jacket but he thinks he deserves it.

“Don’t play the martyr, Jughead Jones,” Cheryl says slowly. She looks him up and down, raising an eyebrow. “We both know it’s not a good look on you.”

“You have to tell Archie,” Toni says coming up next to Cheryl. The redhead lets go of Jughead’s arm to hold hands with Toni. “He’s just as involved at this point.”

Jughead’s stomach drops into the bottom of his boots. He’s filled with dread at the thought of breaking the news to Archie. Jughead manages to nod at Toni before he leaves the room to follow after Veronica. She’s sitting on the front steps, chin propped up in her hand. Her cheeks are still wet but she’s quiet when he sits down next to her.

“I can’t do this without you,” Jughead says softly. He scuffs his shoe against the steps, remembers the afternoons spent sitting out here with the Serpents when they were younger. He wishes things now were as easy as they were back then.

“You’re not doing this without me,” Veronica says, rolling her eyes. She wipes at her cheeks and gives him a tight lipped smile. “I’m always with you, Jug, but I don’t have to be happy about it.”

“We have to tell Archie,” Jughead mutters, turning away from her again. He looks at the chainlink fence that surrounds the school grounds. There are holes cut into the links, obvious signs of people coming and going. Jughead wonders how long Riverdale is going to let the space slowly rot before they give in and sell it to the Lodges. “He deserves to know.”

“Of course.”

“I’m sorry,” he says. He shoves his hands into his jacket pockets and curls in on himself. “For all of this mess. I am sorry, Veronica.”

“We do the best that we can, Juggiekins,” Veronica says, sliding her hand into his pocket and tangling her fingers with his. “We hold on tight and we do the best that we can.”

They leave for the Andrews’ house on the back of Jughead’s motorcycle shortly after. They make Archie come with them to the garage, using the soundproofing for safety when they tell him what’s happened. Archie doesn’t take it well which surprises exactly no one. He swings for Jughead as soon as the words are out of his mouth.

“This is why I wanted to keep her out of this,” Archie shouts as he tries to get his hands on Jughead again. Veronica blocks his path, hands on his chest. He doesn’t push past her. He’s not that enraged but it’s a close thing. “You said that she’d be safe. That we’d all be safe.”

“I’m getting her back, Archie,” Jughead says as he rubs his jaw and opens his mouth wide, trying to stretch it out. “There’s a trade.”

“A trade?” Archie asks, rolling his eyes. He steps into Jughead’s space again, finally pushing Veronica to the side. “When are you going to stop taking care of things yourself? That’s the only reason all of this shit is happening in the first place!”

“You think Keller is going to do better?” Jughead snaps back, standing up tall and using his height to his advantage. Archie doesn’t back down. Not that Jughead would expect him to. “You think Penny would even hesitate to kill her and run if she thought the cops were involved?”

“What makes you think she’s gonna honor this trade? How do you even know that Betty is even alive?” Archie shouts back. He shoves at Jughead again before grabbing his jacket and yanking him forward. He’s never been on the receiving end of Archie’s anger before. It’s a new experience. “All you’ve done is gotten us all involved in a gang, drug war. And now Betty could be dead for all you know.”

“Archie!” Veronica tells from behind them.

Jughead grabs onto Archie’s wrist and speaks through clenched teeth, “You think I don’t know that! You think I don’t know know _that_?”

He squeezes his eyes shut and tries to will the tears away. He opens his eyes and feels the tears trail down his cheeks anyways. He grits his teeth and looks down at Archie, “You think I’m not scared shitless? It’s _Betty._ ”

Archie’s face slowly relaxes until he’s crying as well. They pull each other into a hug, Jughead’s hands gripping onto Archie’s shirt. Archie presses his face to Jughead’s neck and breathes out loudly. He pulls away just enough to press his forehead to Jughead’s, cupping the back of his neck, his voice was barely more than a whisper, “We’ll get her back.”

“We will, Arch,” Jughead says, grabbing onto the back of his head. “We will.”

They pull away from each other with a loud sniff, straightening their clothes. Veronica is on the other side of the garage, arms wrapped around her waist and mouth pressed into an angry frown. Archie takes a step towards her but she just holds up a hand.

“For the record,” she snaps. “Your hyper masculine ridiculous display of emotions is tired.”

“I’m sorry, Ronnie,” Archie says, scratching the back of his head. He gives Jughead a shy smile. “My bad, dude.”

“We’re cool,” Jughead says win a shrug. He can’t help but smirk at Veronica’s exaggerated eye roll. He turns back to Archie, frown easily sliding back onto his face. “We have a deal with Penny. Me for Betty. We’re doing it tonight.”

“Dude. No way,” Archie says instantly, shaking his head. “She’ll kill you. I know Betty wouldn’t want that.”

“Thank you!” Veronica says, marching up to them. “Finally someone else speaking sense.”

“We have to find another way to get her,” Archie says, shaking his head. He crosses his arms and looks up at the ceiling while he thinks. “Do we have any idea of where Penny is?”

“I have an address from my mom,” Veronica says, chewing on her thumbnail. She looks at Archie and raises her eyebrows. “We could check it out. See if we find anything?”

“We were a pretty decent investigative duo,” Archie says, bumping his shoulder against Veronica. She gives him a tight lipped smile before turning to Jughead.

“What do you think, Jug?” Veronica asks softly. She drops her hands and looks up at him through her lashes. “Worth a shot, right?”

He sighs and tries to give her a smile. Something to show that he agrees even if he doesn’t. Even if he knows it’s a lost cause. He knows what he has to do even if he doesn’t like it. Even if it’s stupid and dangerous.

“You two look into it,” Jughead says with a nod. Veronica opens her mouth to protest but Jughead cuts her off. “I need to tell my dad what’s going on.”

“Of course,” Veronica says. She leans up and kisses the corner of his mouth. “I’ll call you if we find anything.”

Jughead doesn’t let her pull away, doesn’t care that Archie is there. He turns his head and kisses her full on the mouth. She cups his jaw and sighs, opening his mouth with her tongue. He wraps an arm around her waist and pulls away, pressing their foreheads together, “Be safe.”

“I’ll take care of her,” Archie says, clearing his throat. Jughead looks at Archie and smirks a little at how red his cheeks are. “You know I’d never let anything happen to her.”

“I am capable of taking care of myself,” Veronica says, leaning her head against Jughead’s chest. He kisses the top of her head and smirks. “Though I always appreciate some extra muscle.”

“We know,” Archie says with a sigh. He looks at the clock on his phone and sighs. “It’s nine. So. We should get going. We’ll meet you at the trailer by eleven, at the latest. If we’re any later than that.” He looks at Jughead, brown eyes dark and intimidating. “Wait for me. I’m coming with you. Understand?”

“Got it,” Jughead says with a nod. Archie nods before rushing back into the house to get a jacket and his keys. Jughead turns to Veronica who is chewing her nail again. “What?”

“I don’t like any of this,” she snaps, dropping her hand to wrap around her waist. She starts to pace instead. “Everything is going to shit. All of the work we’ve done. Every last bit of it. Wasted. Fucking wasted. And now. Now! My best friend _and_ my boyfriend are both in terrible danger. I just.”

She stops pacing and covers her face with both hands, groaning loudly. Jughead steps up to her, pulling her into a hug. He presses his cheek to the top of her head and smiles softly, “Boyfriend?”

“It’s just a word,” Veronica huffs, wiggling her arms so that she can wrap them around his waist. “But yes. After everything we’ve been through. I think I get to call you my boyfriend.”

“I wasn’t complaining.”

“Good,” she says with a slight nod that he feels against his chest. They stand for a few more minutes just holding onto each other until Archie comes back into the garage. Veronica pulls away from him with a reluctant sigh. She cups his cheek and looks up at him, “Do not do anything stupid while I’m gone. I swear to God, Jones.”

“I will do my best,” Jughead says, rolling his eyes. His eyes flick to Archie and sees the way he’s watching him. Maybe Archie knows. Maybe it’s what he would have done as well. He just nods at Jughead, eyes heavy with something like acceptance. “You two better get going, though.”

“Okay,” she says before leaning up and kissing him softly. She pulls back just enough so that he can see her eyes. “You know I do, right?”

“I know.”

She kisses him again before following Archie to his truck. Archie gives him one last long look over his shoulder before getting in and driving off with Veronica.

Jughead waits until they turn around the corner before texting Cheryl. He sends a text to Betty’s phone. Doesn’t have to wait long before he gets his answer. He breathes out heavy and closes his eyes.

**Betty says done deal, Jonesy. Meet you in an hour.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “He’s dead, Veronica,” Cheryl snaps, yanking her arm away. “They beat the shit out of him and he’s probably dead.”
> 
> “But you don’t know for sure,” Veronica says. She can feel her throat closing up. She reaches for her pearls, a bad habit that she hasn’t broken even though she hasn’t worn that necklace in months. She just wraps her fingers around her throat and tries to breathe. “Please, Cheryl. If it were Toni. You’d want to go to her.”
> 
> Cheryl huffs before rolling her eyes, “Dammit. Come on. I’ll drop you the pin and you can borrow my car.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next one is going to be the last oooooone.

The address that her mother had provided is on the Southside. A small house that’s been turned into a split level. Everything about the block makes Veronica’s skin crawl. It’s so quiet. No cars. No dogs. No lights. She clutches onto Archie’s arm and presses against him as they walk up the path to the stairwell. They head upstairs until they’re in front of apartment two. They stare at the door for a long minute before turning to each other. 

“What do we do?” Archie asks. 

Veronica bites her lip before sighing and digging into her purse. She pulls out the set that Sweetpea had shoved into her hands one afternoon when he was bored.  _ It’s a good skill to have, Lodge _ . She raises her eyebrows and points a finger at him, “You tell no one about this.”

“Um,” Archie says, scratching the back of his head. “Okay?”

Veronica rolls her eyes and kneels down in front of the door. She takes a deep breath and tries to remember everything that Sweetpea had taught her. She looks over her shoulder at Archie one more time. He’s staring off into the distance, eyes far away. He’s probably thinking about Betty. She should be thinking about Betty. It’s Betty they’re trying to save, she reminds herself, as her thoughts stray to Jughead again. 

As she starts to pick the lock, she prays that no one is actually home. There weren’t any cars or any signs that anyone was in either apartment. But that didn’t actually mean anything. It takes her longer than she’ll ever admit to Sweetpea but she does get it. The door pops open and she stands up giving Archie a satisfied grin.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Archie says, shaking his head at her. He pushes the door further open and looks at her over his shoulder. “Where did you learn that anyways?”

Veronica shrugs and stows her kit back into her purse, “Spend enough time on the Southside.”

Archie’s eyebrows reach up towards his hairline and the corners of his mouth turn down into a frown. She holds up her hand and shakes her head, “Not explaining. Let’s get looking.”

“Was it Jughead?” Archie asks as he goes into the apartment. There isn’t much to look at. Shitty furniture in a shitty apartment. 

“Jughead doesn’t know how to pick locks,” Veronica mutters as she towards the hallway. “Betty was the pick lock in that relationship.”

“Toni?” he asks as he goes through some papers on the dining room table. Veronica rolls her eyes and starts opening cabinets. 

“Woah,” Veronica says, eyes growing wide. “Archie!”

He rushes into the kitchen, hands curled into fists and ready to fight. Veronica snorts and waves a hand at the open cabinet. Archie’s eyebrows reach up to his hairline as he surveys the bundles of cash and jingle jangle. Veronica continues to open cabinets, revealing more cash and more jingle jangle. 

“I guess they eat out a lot,” Veronica mutters. Archie is still dumbfounded, staring at the cabinets with wide eyes. Veronica takes as many pictures as she can, sending them all to Jughead. “At least we finally have something to connect Penny to the jingle jangle trade.”

“But no sign of Betty,” Archie mutters, finally breaking out of his daze. His eyes keep flicking to the stacks of cash and he curls his hands into fists. He sighs and spins on his heel. “I’m heading to the bedroom. See what else I can find.”

Veronica glances at the cabinets one more time before following after him. It’s a one bedroom apartment so there isn’t much else to look through. The dresser and nightstands are both empty. The closet, however, is sporting some serious firepower. 

“What’s the point of having the warehouse if they’re just going to keep stuff here?” Archie asks as Veronica takes more pictures. “Seems kind of redundant, doesn’t it?” 

“I’m not exactly trying to get into a drug dealer’s brain, Archiekins,” Veronica mutters. She sighs and rolls her shoulders before turning to Archie. “I don’t think Betty was ever here.” 

“Well, where does that leave us?” Archie asks. He looks around the small bedroom and Veronica can feel the frustration rolling off of him. She’s sure that the same feeling is coming off of her as well. 

“We go back to Sunnyside,” Veronica says, trying to power through her dread. “Regroup. Find a better option.” 

“There are no better options, Ronnie,” Archie says. He scans the room one more time. “Fuck it. Let’s go.” 

Veronica makes sure to put everything back where it belongs before wrapping her hand around Archie’s bicep and trailing after him into the kitchen so that they can clean up in there as well. They make sure the living room looks the same as when they first came in and head back to his truck a moment later. 

“We’ll find her, Archie,” Veronica says softly. Archie drops his head and sighs. She squeezes his bicep and leans against him a little. “Hey. Have I ever been wrong?” 

Archie chuckles and shakes his head. 

“Exactly,” Veronica says. She doesn’t believe it herself but she’ll lie through her teeth just to make Archie feel better. She checks her watch and almost chokes at how much time has passed. “Jesus. It’s almost eleven. We need to go. Now.” 

The ride back to Riverdale seems to take forever and by the time they’re pulling up in front of FP’s trailer, it’s close to 11:30. Veronica pounds on the trailer door until a groggy FP yanks the door open with a grunt. 

“Veronica?” FP grumbles, rubbing his eyes and looking at Archie over her shoulder. “Red? Jug isn’t home, guys.” 

“He’s not home?” Veronica asks, heart dropping to the pit of her stomach. “He said he wouldn’t go without Archie.” 

“Go where?” FP asks, waving the two of them into the living room. The TV is on and it’s clear that FP had fallen asleep on the couch. He rubs his face and sits down with a groan. 

“The meetup with Penny,” Veronica says, pulling out her phone. She looks at Archie but he’s too calm, too still. “You knew.” 

“I had an idea,” Archie says with a nod. “Ronnie, look -”

Veronica holds up a finger as she dials Jughead’s number. It goes straight to voicemail. 

“Meetup with Penny? As in Penny Peabody?” FP asks slowly. Archie nods and FP flies off the couch, face pale. “What business does he have with Penny Peabody? That’s done. It’s over.” 

Veronica dials Cheryl’s number and curses when it goes to voicemail as well. 

“She took Betty,” Archie explains. 

Veronica drowns them out as she dials Toni. Sweetpea. Fangs. All of them go to voicemail. She curses again and throws the phone across the room. She glares at both Archie and FP when they look at her with matching startled looks.

“Where did he take Penny?” she asks FP. He shrugs and Veronica groans. “Your son just traded himself to the Ghoulies. Handed himself over to a woman who is very interested in seeing him dead. So where did he take Penny the first time?” 

“You think I don’t know that?” FP snaps. He runs a hand through his hair before grabbing his Serpent jacket and keys. He looks between Archie and Veronica. “Well? You two coming or what?”

“Where are we even going?” Archie asks. 

Veronica doesn’t bother waiting for an answer before going to the door. She reaches for it just as the door flies open. Toni and Cheryl rush into the living room, carrying a weak but alive Betty Cooper between them. Veronica instantly moves into action, taking Betty from Toni and helping Cheryl drag her to the couch. Toni goes to FP and starts to quietly talk to him. Veronica doesn’t even try to eavesdrop, all of her focus is on Betty.

“Betty, oh my god, Betty,” Veronica mutters, gently cupping her face. Betty’s eye flutter for a brief moment before opening. She smiles when she sees Veronica, sloppy and crooked. Veronica frowns and peels Betty’s eye open. “Jesus Christ. Is she high?”

“Penny kept her dosed to keep her quiet,” Cheryl says through clenched teeth. Her makeup is streaked from crying but her cheeks are dry now. She scrapes her long red hair back and paces back and forth. “Those fucking Ghoulies. I swear on everything that makes me a Blossom. If they hurt her. Or did  _ anything _ to her. I will eviscerate them.” 

Veronica scans over her, hands searching her prone form for any sort of injury. She seems fine. Stoned out of her mind but fine. Veronica sits back and rests her forearms on the couch. She looks up at Cheryl and smiles softly, “She’s fine. I think, she’s fine.”

“Hopefully that stays true when she wakes up,” Cheryl mutters, kneeling down next to Betty. Cheryl sighs and loosens Betty’s ponytail, finger combing the knots out. Betty shifted and murmured, leaning into Cheryl’s hand. “Oh, sweet cousin Cooper.”

Veronica looks around the trailer and sits up straight, “Where did Archie, FP, and Toni go?”

“Jughead,” Cheryl says. She glances at Betty before standing up and dragging Veronica with her. They go outside, leaving Betty to rest, before Cheryl continues. “They went back for him.”

“You know where he is?” Veronica asks, gripping Cheryl’s forearm. “Tell me.”

“No, Veronica,” Cheryl says, shaking her head. “You don’t understand.”

“Cheryl, you need to tell me where Jughead is,” Veronica says slowly, stepping closer to her. “Please.”

“He’s dead, Veronica,” Cheryl snaps, yanking her arm away. “They beat the shit out of him and he’s probably dead.”

“But you don’t know for sure,” Veronica says. She can feel her throat closing up. She reaches for her pearls, a bad habit that she hasn’t broken even though she hasn’t worn that necklace in months. She just wraps her fingers around her throat and tries to breathe. “Please, Cheryl. If it were Toni. You’d want to go to her.”

Cheryl huffs before rolling her eyes, “Dammit. Come on. I’ll drop you the pin and you can borrow my car.” 

The ride to the meetup spot is short which Veronica is grateful for. When she pulls up, the headlights of Cheryl’s car illuminate Sweetpea, Toni, and Fangs. Veronica doesn’t even bother turning the car off before she’s flying out of it towards them. 

Sweetpea steps away from the other two and meets her halfway. He grabs onto her shoulders and guides her away from the group. Veronica tries to look around him but Sweetpea won’t let her. She stomps her foot and glares up at him, “Where is he?”

“Andrews went to get Keller,” Sweetpea says.

“You know that’s not what I meant.”

Sweetpea frowns and looks down at his boots. Veronica fills her eyes fill with tears but she blinks them away. She opens her mouth to say something but Toni’s shocked gasp cuts her off. Sweetpea turns, keeping Veronica behind him and curses under his breath. Veronica takes a breath and steps around him. 

FP is stepping out of the woods, Jughead in his arms. He’s covered in blood and dirt, the sleeve ripped from his jacket. Veronica covers her mouth on a sob when she sees the way his tattoo has been carved from his arm. Tears are streaming down FP’s face and he’s struggling to keep Jughead in his arms. Fangs and Sweetpea rush forward to grab him but FP just pulls Jughead closer. 

“I got him,” FP snaps through clenched teeth. “I can carry my boy.”

They both step back before moving as one towards Fangs’ Jeep. Toni turns to Veronica with wide wet eyes before moving towards her. She wraps an arm around Veronica’s waist and bears Veronica’s weight when she sags into her. Toni squeezes Veronica tight and turns her away from Jughead. 

“Come on,” she says. “We need to go. We need to get him to a hospital.”

“Toni,” Veronica whispers through her tears. 

She wants to go to Jughead. Wants to help FP carry him. Wants to hunt down every Ghoulie and rip them apart. Wants to personally destroy Penny Peabody. Veronica takes a shuddering breath and clings to the rage that’s coursing through her. She’d rather be angry. Angry she can handle. Angry she can use. Veronica Lodge doesn’t have the time or the energy for grief. Not tonight. 

“FP has him,” Toni says softly. FP walks past them in a daze. He’s taking slow steps, pausing every couple to adjust his hold on his son. “He’s got him.”


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next few days are a repeat of the same cycle. He wakes up and there’s a new face in the room. Someone else who’s happy to see him, who’s relieved that he’s okay but pissed that he could be so stupid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> holy shit guys. it's done. it's fucking done. again. a million thank yous to bearfacedcheek for writing no peace, nor rest. this fic would literally not exist without you. and thank you to everyone who read and commented and left kudos. y'all are true champs. 
> 
> little longer than the other chapters but i really didn't want to drag this out any further. i hope y'all enjoy. :)

The first time Jughead wakes up, it’s night. He’s alone in the hospital room, just the beeping of the machines and the quiet footsteps of the nurse who’s checking on him. He blinks in the dark room, tries to push himself up in bed and shouts when he feels a sharp pain in his side. 

The nurse rushes to him, whispering soft words, and gently lying him back down. She murmurs something about stitches and bruising but he’s already falling back asleep once his head hits the pillow. 

When he wakes up again, Archie is sitting by the window. He doesn’t notice that Jughead’s eyes are open, he’s looking down at his phone with a frown. Jughead takes the moment to look around his room. 

It’s a single which surprises Jughead. No way they’re able to afford this. The thought of the medical bills makes his stomach drop. He tries to push it away. Tries to ignore the familiar anxiety gnawing at his gut. 

There are flowers and cards on his table. He reaches out and snags a few of the cards. He recognizes Kevin’s handwriting. Toni. Fangs. He wonders what she did to get him to actually sign a card. Jughead is too realistic to think he paid for it. There’s even a card from the Coopers as a whole, Alice Cooper’s neat handwriting wishing him well. 

He drops his head back onto the pillow with a small laugh that makes Archie jump a little. He smiles at Jughead, bright and relieved, before dragging his chair closer. He reaches for Jughead’s forearm and holds on tight. 

“You scared the shit out of me, dude,” Archie says with a small laugh. Jughead rolls his eyes and Archie sobers up slightly. He looks down and his grip on Jughead’s forearms tightens slightly. “Seriously. There was a moment. We weren’t sure. And.” He takes a shuddering breath before looking at Jughead with a wet smile. “I’m really glad you're okay, Juggie.”

Jughead leans forward, even though his muscles protest the movement, and pulls at Archie’s arm until he’s up and hugging him back. Archie presses his face to Jughead’s neck and Jughead closes his eyes. He breathes in the familiar scent of Archie’s body wash - the same, generic brand that he’s been using since high school and that Jughead has always associated with the redhead. They stay like that for a few minutes more before pulling away from each other. 

Jughead opens his mouth to say something but Archie punches him in the shoulder, cutting him off. Jughead groans a little and narrows his eyes at Archie. Archie just points a finger at him as he sits back down and says, “That’s for going without me. Jackass.”

“It needed to be done,” Jughead mutters. He rotates his shoulder a little and frowns at how much that hurts. He reaches up and frowns when he doesn’t feel his hat. “What happened?”

“I should be asking you that!” Archie replies. He leans back in the chair and shakes his head at Jughead. “That night ended up being so crazy, dude. So crazy.”

“Betty?”

“She’s fine. Couple of bruises and a major hangover but she’s okay,” Archie says with a nod. “She’d be here to rip you a new one for trading yourself in the first place but she’s on house arrest until the preliminary trials are over.”

“Trials?” Jughead asks, raising his eyebrows. He’s happy to hear that Betty is alive. Alive and okay. He feels a weight lift off his shoulders. Everyone might be pissed at him for making the deal but at least, for once, it went right. For once, it seems, he gets to count this one as a win. 

“Keller arrested Penny Peabody and a bunch of Ghoulies on kidnapping, assault, and attempted murder,” Archie says with a nod. “For now, they’re all locked up. Here’s hoping that it stays that way.” 

“How long have I been out?”

“A week?” Archie says with a shrug. “Your dad has been here almost everyday. I just sent him home, actually. He looked like shit. I don’t think he’s been to the trailer since we found you.”

“Jesus,” Jughead says, closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the pillow. He looks at Archie through his lashes. “But he’s okay?” 

“He’s okay,” Archie says. Archie watches him for a moment before shaking his head. “I can’t believe you haven’t asked about her yet.”

“What?”

“Veronica,” Archie says like it’s obvious. He stretches and rests his hands on the top of his head. “She’s pissed. For the record. Relieved you’re not dead. But. Still pissed.”

“That’s. That’s just great,” Jughead says, rolling his eyes. She would be mad at him. 

“She’s mad at me, too,” Archie says. “If that’s any consolation. For going to that address when I knew you were going to meet up with Penny early.” 

“Enabler,” Jughead says with a smirk. Archie laughs a little and shrugs. “What did you guys find at that address, by the way?” 

“A lot of drugs and cash,” Archie says. “Oh and guns.”

“And Keller has all of that now?” Jughead asks. Archie nods and Jughead relaxes a little more. He lets out a long sigh. “I’m so done solving this town’s issues.” 

“We both know that’s not true,” Archie says, smile bright and charming as always. 

Jughead can’t help but smile back. A machine beeps and he feels a rush of warmth in his veins. He relaxes a little more into the bed and feels his smile soften. Archie says something about morphine but Jughead barely hears it before he’s falling back asleep. 

The next few days are a repeat of the same cycle. He wakes up and there’s a new face in the room. Someone else who’s happy to see him, who’s relieved that he’s okay but pissed that he could be so stupid. 

“Dad,” Jughead says after Fangs and Sweetpea leave. “If I have to hear one more lecture.”

“You really complaining about having people care about you?” FP asks, narrowing his eyes at him. Jughead smiles a little and reaches up to adjust his hat. Grateful that it somehow managed to survive everything. “Doesn’t matter. You come home tomorrow. We can lock that door.” 

Jughead nods. He’s eager to get out of the hospital. It’s been days and he can’t help but think about the cost. He licks his lips, “Dad. How. How are we paying for all this? We’re not exactly flush with cash.”

FP blinks and shifts in his seat, coughing a little, “It’s taken care of.”

“How?” 

“Don’t worry about it,” FP says, nodding his chin at Jughead. “What you need to be worrying about is getting better.”

“Don’t,” Jughead says, shaking his head. He sighs and presses his lips together. “Don’t sugarcoat things, Dad. Please. Just tell me how we’re paying for this.”

FP exhales loudly through his nose before looking down at his knees. He shakes his head and mumbles, “I ain’t one to ask for charity. You know that. Hell. The whole town knows that.”

“What are you talking about?” Jughead asks, narrowing his eyes at his dad. His mind is already running with the idea of illegal activities to scrounge up the cash. It wouldn’t be the first time and Jughead wouldn’t be surprised either. 

“Veronica,” FP says, looking up at Jughead. He shrugs. “Wouldn’t take no for an answer. Fought me tooth and nail over it. She’s covering the bill.”

Jughead blinks and tries to absorb that information. She hasn’t visited. Not since he’s woken up and no one will tell him anything either. In fact, he’s pretty sure this is the first time that anyone has even said her name without him bringing it up first. 

“Give me your phone,” Jughead says, holding his hand out. FP raises his eyebrows and Jughead huffs. “I don’t know her number and my phone is trashed. Give me your phone.”

“Now, Jughead,” FP says, shaking his head. He holds up a hand and waves it a Jughead. “I don’t want you calling this girl up and giving her a hard time. She’s got enough going on and she’s just trying to help.”

“What?” Jughead asks, dropping his hand. He stomach turns over and he knows it’s not his meds. He licks his dry lips. “What are you talking about? What’s going on?”

“No one’s told you?” FP asks. Jughead shakes his head and FP curses under his breath. He rubs a hand over his face and doesn’t look Jughead in the eye when he explains. “Hermione pulled the rug from under Hiram. Got control over Lodge Industries or something like that. The whole Lodge empire is in chaos right now.”

“And I’m sure Veronica has put herself in the middle of it all,” Jughead continues for his father. FP nods and then it’s Jughead’s turn to curse under his breath. He sits up and swings his legs over the edge of the bed. FP is up in a second, putting a steadying hand on Jughead’s shoulder. “Can you get my clothes?”

“Why? Get back into bed, Jughead,” FP says, trying to push Jughead to lay back down. Jughead pushes FP’s hands off of him and stands up from the bed. He goes to the closet and pulls out the bag that FP had brought with clothes for tomorrow. “Boy, get back into bed, dammit.”

“I need to see her,” Jughead says, shaking his head. He pulls his jeans on and yanks the hospital gown over his head. He raises his eyebrows at FP before pulling his shirt on. “You giving me a ride or are you going to make me walk to the Pembrooke?”

“Goddammit,” FP hisses before heading towards the door. Jughead shrugs his jacket on, running his fingers over the thick stitching that reattached the sleeve, and glowers at his dad. “Don’t give me that look, boy.”

“You should have told me,” Jughead says, shaking his head, as he follows after him. FP goes to slow down at the nurses’ station but Jughead shakes his head and keeps going towards the exit. FP grumbles but follows after him, digging his keys out of his pocket. Once he’s caught up to Jughead’s long strides, Jughead mutters, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You almost died, Jug,” FP snaps. He grabs Jughead by the shoulder before grimacing and instantly letting go. “I thought you were dead. We all did. Last thing you needed to be thinking about - worrying about is the Lodges’ problems.” 

“It’s not the Lodges that I’m worrying about!” Jughead snaps, taking a step towards his dad. He curls his hands into fists and takes a deep breath that still aches. He holds his hand out for the keys. “Dad. Please.”

“You’re still hopped up on pain meds. You’re not driving anywhere,” FP mutters, shaking his head. He walks past Jughead slowly. “She worth it, son?”

“She is.”

“God,” FP says as he gets into the truck. “Never said Jones men were smart. Falling for a Lodge. Come on, boy.” 

The ride to the Pembrooke is quick and Jughead slips in through the service entrance that Veronica had shown him months ago. He taps his foot as he rides up the elevator, hoping that she’s home. That he’s not about to make an epic fool of himself. 

His heart is in his throat and his entire body aches when he knocks on the door. Veronica opens it, phone in hand and eyes wide. 

“Yes, he’s here,” Veronica says softly. “Thank you, FP.” 

“My dad called you?” Jughead asks, nerves momentarily forgotten as she ends the call. “Seriously?”

“He wanted to make sure you didn’t pass out in the elevator,” she snaps as she drags him inside. She forces him to sit on the little sofa they have by the door. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Why didn’t you visit me?” he asks. It’s not what he wanted to start with. Not even why he’s here. At least. Not at first. “You pay for my room but you can’t stop by to say hi? Even Cheryl visited me.”

“Are you serious right now?” Veronica asks, standing up straight. “You came all the way here to guilt trip me about not visiting you?” 

“No,” he says, closing his eyes and huffing. “I wanted to check on you.”

“You wanted to check on  _ me _ ? Jughead, you were in the hospital!” Veronica says, hands on her hips. “In fact, that’s exactly where you should be heading back to.”

“Why didn’t you visit me, Veronica?” Jughead asks again as she reaches to help him stand up. She pauses and huffs. “When everything with your parents happened? Why didn’t you visit?”

“The last thing you needed to deal with was my family drama,” Veronica says primly. She stands up straight and looks down her nose at him. He’s reminded of the haughty girl she was in high school. He’s not a fan. “I think my family has caused you enough harm.”

“But,” he starts before pausing to licks his lips and collect his thoughts. “I wanted to see  _ you _ , Veronica. I would have been there for you. To help you. You know. Like a boyfriend is supposed to.”

“Boyfriend.”

“I am still your boyfriend, right?” he asks, heart pounding in his chest. He tries to chuckle, tries to play this off as some bad joke but the color drains from her face. “Veronica?”

“You went without telling me,” she snaps. She puts a hand to her forehead and turns away from him to pace a little. “You went. Without telling me. And. Jesus. I thought. When I saw you. When I’d finally found you. I thought.” 

She pauses for a second and Jughead can see her chest heaving. He’s up in a second, pulling her to his chest. She starts crying a moment later, great heaving sobs against his chest. Jughead wraps his arms around her and presses his cheek to the top of her head. He whispers apologies against her hair and tries to soothe her as best he can. Eventually, her sobs turn to sniffles until they stop entirely. 

“I thought you were dead,” she say softly. “I saw you in FP’s arms and I thought you were dead.”

“I’m sorry, Veronica,” he says. “God. I am so sorry.” 

“Stop. Stop it,” she says, shaking her head. She pulls away from him and cups his face with both hands. She’s gentle, careful of his cuts and bruises. But, God, he’d be lying if he said that it didn’t feel good to have her hands on him again. “You did the right thing.”

“What?”

“Saving Betty. It was the right thing to do,” she says with a nod. She frowns a little, just the slightest downturn of her mouth, and her eyes go distant for a second before she comes back to him. “I was afraid of losing you so I didn’t want to admit it but there was no other option. You made the right call.” 

“Then what?”

“Don’t you see?” Veronica asks, searching his face for something. “Don’t you see how selfish my love is? I was willing to.” She pauses and takes a deep breath. “I was willing to sacrifice Betty.  _ Betty _ . Just so I wouldn’t have to go through the pain of losing you, Jug.”

“You were scared. We all were,” Jughead says, shaking his head.

“No,” she says, pulling away from him. She scrapes her hair back from her face with both hands and lets out a weak sigh. “No. I’m selfish, Jughead. I’m selfish and I just. I love you so much the thought of losing you. I just. I’m not good for you, Jughead. God. Look at all the harm I’ve done. My family has done.”

“Hey. No. No,” Jughead mutters, pulling her back to him. His head is spinning and he refuses to let this happen. Not after everything they’ve been through. “Be selfish, Veronica. Please be selfish.”

She looks up at him with wide, wet eyes before leaning up and kissing him hard on the mouth. He kisses her back instantly, holding onto her hip with a hand and cupping her cheek with the other. They kiss and kiss until they’re both panting and breathless. Veronica cups the back of his head and scratches her nails against his scalp. With her eyes closed, she whispers against his mouth, “I love you, Jughead Jones.”

He sighs and squeezes her hip in his hand before kissing her again. He wants to swallow the words down, wants to carry them with him, inside him for as long as she’ll let him. She’s still trying to talk against his lips, trying to say it over and over again between kisses. It’s almost like she’s making up for all the times that she couldn’t say it before. He pulls away again and cups her face, running a thumb over her puffy, kiss-swollen mouth. 

“You and me, Veronica,” he mutters. “It’s you and me against all the bullshit this stupid town throws against us. Okay? It’s you and me. Together.”

“You and me,” she repeats, nodding. She grabs his wrists and squeezes tight. “Together.”

He gives her a crooked smile that she returns instantly before kissing him again. He swears, nothing else has ever felt so right. 


End file.
